A Heart in Flames (Book Two)
by lilmisswriter17
Summary: She knew this wasn't just about him marrying her anymore - if it ever really was about marrying her. Justin and Rolland and Suliman had been planning this for a long time. This was about power. But how did they find them? The snarky witch girl sneered as she mounted her broomstick. "Enjoy your freedom while it lasts. Suliman won't give up on that child." SEQUEL TO THORNS OF A ROSE.
1. Convergence

**And so it has begun... A Heart in Flames is finally posted! Thank you to everyone who patiently waited for this to come. I'm so excited to share with you what adventures I've created for Howl and Sophie and all our other favorite characters (personally, my fav is Calcifer). New characters, new battles, and new secrets yet to be unveiled! I will try and update as regularly and timely as I can, but with school starting up again that is always first priority. I will always make time for my stories and I will never leave a fanfiction unfinished. You probably want me to shut up right about now because you've been dying to read this (I hope you have :D). If you haven't read Thorns of a Rose I would suggest reading that before this because some things probably won't make sense if you haven't. Just a thought :P Okay, I'll be quiet now. Enjoy!**

 **I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING FROM HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, DIANA WYNNE JONES OR STUDIO GHIBLI.**

The tears flooding from her eyes raged of a violent pain that he had never known and wished to never be familiar with.

Dark clouds covered an even darker sky, light posts failing to brighten her view of the surrounding area. The city was a ghost town, only the people were simply too afraid to vacate, leaving the streets abandoned save for one person. She didn't know where she was or where she was going. All she knew was that she needed to run.

Her heart raced against the speed of the pouring rain as they splattered like bullets onto the stone pavement. The sky roared in anger and the droplets fell harder, faster. Puddles formed in the low dips of the street and she attempted to avoid them at all costs. She didn't need anything slowing her down, though her racing thoughts were already doing so.

 _Get out, now. Leave before they find you. Save yourself._

These words would haunt her dreams and nightmares.

"Wait!" The man's voice again. How he continued to find her everywhere she turned was still a mystery. She couldn't be safe as long as he was trailing her. Be stronger, she whispered to herself. Be stronger, faster, braver.

The sound of his heavy footsteps against the puddles increased. There was nowhere left to turn. In the middle of a dark alley, she was trapped.

She turned around, only to find the man mere inches from her. She jolted back and fell to the cold, wet ground, pushing herself back away from him. He knelt to her level, concealing something in his heavy trench coat. One hand covered his middle while the other reached out for her.

"No!"

"Please." He begged. "You know me."

She widened her eyes, but shook her head. "I don't remember you, so how can I know you?"

"Before this. Before I was like this." He removed the hood from his head, revealing his true self. His features were a beautiful reminder. It was like seeing color in a black-and-white film for the first time - all she could do was stare. "Remember me."

(*********)

Friday was his favorite day of the week. Calcifer blazed proudly in the rounded fireplace, his strength at full power. He warmed the tiny cottage in the town of Magnol with love and fire. No ashes surrounded him, though he was accompanied by a fresh set of logs to choose from. Fridays were his favorites for that reason. Sophie usually spent the entire day cleaning the cottage and organizing things. She always spent too much time on his fireplace, determined to give him the most comfortable sitting.

Calcifer's view of their home consisted of the main living area. The kitchen was open to the living room with a long dining table for the family between the two rooms. A pot filled with water started to boil softly. Family portraits lined the walls and side tables, showing any who entered how beautiful the family was. Of course, any photographs with Calcifer were sealed in the bedrooms. If they showed any proof of magic, they would be banished.

It seemed odd that a family of magicians would live in a land where magic was at the brink of criminal action, but what a better place to hide from the wicked ones than a land without magic. Calcifer could feel that they weren't the only magicians in Magnol, but he assumed they were there for the same reasons as the Pendragon family. Anyone who could escape the Royal Sorceress was deemed lucky, even if you were hiding in a land that despised you for your gifts.

A little old lady hobbled like a penguin to the dark brown couch. Her wrinkled hands shook as they held a thin book, her weekly read. The Witch of the Wastes had become a simple soul, her ways less selfish and her values more familial. She spent most her time at the local library or bringing the books home to read next to Calcifer. He enjoyed watching her sitting on the couch with a faint smile on her face, enjoying the last few pages of the story.

Calcifer felt his log break in half, his center falling with them. He held the grate tightly, his momentary fear setting in. The Witch looked up at the fire demon, though shrugged her shoulders and returned to her book. Calcifer breathed heavily for a moment, assessing the quick alteration of his situation. His fear quickly subsided. It had happened so many times before, but he would never get used to feeling of falling.

"Here, let me help you with that." As Calcifer reached for the nearby logs, he saw two smooth hands grab one before he could. She struggled to bend forward as she gently placed the log atop Calcifer, and it took more effort for her to stand straight up again.

She sighed heavily, pushing the small of her back forward to adjust for her extended middle. Her silver hair covered her face and she blew the stray hairs away. Her weary eyes fell to her pregnant belly, her smile painful to watch.

"Better?"

"Yes. Thank you, Sophie."

Sophie smiled. She turned to the kitchen when she heard the boiling pot excessively bubbling. She scurried to the stove and turned it off, the bubbles gradually disappearing. The table was beautifully set with four place settings and silverware in perfect alignment with one another. Sophie had been cooking dinner since lunchtime, seeing that some of her meals took hours for preparation.

Sophie sighed exhaustively. "Today has been a long day. I think the house gets dirtier and dirtier every time I try to clean it."

Calcifer chuckled. "That's what happens when you're in preparation for another child."

Sophie creeped a smile as her eyes darted to her stomach. Six months ago, none of them had expected things to turn out how they did. Moving to a new country, shielding their identities, pregnant with a wizard's child on the way. She and Howl were to be parents in only a few short months. Life went from boring to exciting before she realized where she was.

She jolted forward in a sudden motion, the feeling of internal movement frightening her for a second. The baby was starting to kick and move around lately, and everyone kept itching for a chance to feel her stomach. She was usually on display, since she was the only one in town this heavily pregnant.

"Baby's kicking again?" Calcifer said.

"Yeah." Sophie lightly laughed. "For some reason, I don't think I'll ever get used to that feeling."

"How does it feel?" Sophie looked up at Calcifer, her eyes wide. He stared at her, longing for an honest answer. "How does it feel when the baby kicks?"

Sophie swallowed hard. "Weird. I don't really know how else to say it. It's just the strangest thing I've ever felt."

Calcifer nodded. "I wish I could feel the baby."

Sophie dropped her shoulders. Calcifer was the only one who hadn't touched her stomach, and for good reason. He could burn her stomach and cause damage to the baby, which was one thing she and Howl agreed on. Keep the baby safe at all cost - even from their friends and family if necessary.

She knew he wanted to, though, and that killed her.

The front door sung open, Markl pushing hard on the handle just to get it open. Heen wheezed loudly as he plummeted to the hardwood ground, panting as he fell. Markl was in high spirits, despite the sweat that lined his forehead.

"Pay day!" Markl shouted. He pushed hard against the door to close it and met Sophie in the kitchen. He handed her the coins earned for the week and Sophie nodded proudly. They didn't need the money, but it looked suspicious for a family not to work and still be able to pay rent. Howl didn't make much working in the fields, so Sophie would lie to their landlord, Donna, asking for a slight extension. Donna was always happy to allow it, which made Sophie feel a little more guilty each time.

"Mr. Bowen gave me a raise." Markl said as Sophie counted the coins. Four gold and three silver. It was nice for Mr. Bowen to help out even when it was unnecessary. She saw how Markl lit up thinking about how his hard work had earned him more.

"That's wonderful." She placed the coins in her apron and returned to the kitchen. Markl ran off to his room, his steps too loud for the sleeping Heen. He wheezed loudly and stood up on shaky legs, instinctively wobbling to the kitchen where his food and drink bowls lay. Sophie looked over her shoulders and noticed the poor dog licking the bowl dry, hardly any left for him. She took his drink bowl, filled it with chilling water, and returned it next to the food bowl. Heen drank with a refreshed look on his face.

Sophie ran her fingers down Heen's back, watching his contentment grow. Ever since he joined their family, he had shown such loyalty and love for them. Every morning, bright and early, he would run into Howl's and Sophie's bedroom and wake him up so he wouldn't be late for work. Then, he would move to Markl's room, though Markl had a surprisingly harder time getting out of bed than Howl.

Sophie rested her hands on her knees and pushed up slowly. All the up and down movements were tiring, and she wished she didn't have to finish preparing a meal for three other people. Her stomach felt heavier each day, especially after meals. Even though she still had a few more months to go, Sophie assumed the due date would come much sooner than expected.

The front door opened again, creaking louder than before. Sophie turned around with a ladle in her hand, her eyes softening when she saw an exhausted Howl step through the doorway.

"Welcome home." Sophie said as she placed the ladle on the counter. She walked over to him as he shut the door, his arms so weary that he had to push three times for the door to finally close. He sighed into her embrace, unwillingly putting his weight against her. She held him up and pushed the sweaty strands of dark hair from his face, uncovering his heavy eyes. His eyelids closed slowly and took a while before revealing his cloudy blue eyes. Fridays were a good day for Howl, too - Thomas made sure no one worked during the weekend.

"Long day?" Calcifer asked, adjusting the broken logs from earlier. Howl nodded dramatically, causing Sophie to laugh lightly. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, his other hand reaching for her stomach.

"More kicking I assume?" He asked.

"Very much so. It's almost as if he or she just wants to come out now."

Howl waved his hand in a slow motion, gesturing toward the unborn baby. "Not quite yet. You can stay in there for a little while longer."

Sophie smiled wide when he spoke to her stomach. She had never seen him express so much love for someone who wasn't even born yet.

Howl sniffed. "Lentil soup again?"

Sophie shrugged. "Not like we have much else. But I also have chicken pot pie. I could try and switch it up for tomorrow."

Howl shook his head. "I'll eat whatever you cook."

"You better eat what she cooks." The Witch said as she turned the page. "She doesn't give you much of a choice."

Howl breathed a hard laugh. He pushed off of Sophie's shoulders and trudged through the main room toward the hallway. "I better wash up before dinner. Maybe a warm bath would help my tired muscles."

Calcifer continued moving the broken logs, not listening to Howl in the slightest bit. Howl cleared his throat loudly, which sparked the fire demon's attention. "I should probably take a nice hot bath, shouldn't I?"

Calcifer rolled his eyes. "I should've never connected myself to this house. I'm still used for heating the baths."

Howl smirked. "At least you don't have a castle to move." He walked down the hallway to the bathroom. Calcifer's fire sparked and grew larger in preparation for his task. He sighed as he performed the repetitive spell that gave him access to the house. Other than keeping the house warm, it was all he really did for them.

Sophie stirred the pot, using the wooden spoon to taste a sample before she served it for dinner. She tapped her tongue to the roof of her mouth, nodding with satisfaction. As she took the oven mittens from the counter, Markl ran down the hallway wearing his cloak, his grin reaching across his face. Sophie darted her eyes to the young boy, watching his excitement grow.

"Master Howl said he would teach me new spells after dinner." Markl said, his wand already in hand.

Sophie turned to the clear windows, only a couple residents walking around this late in the evening. Markl turned to the windows as well, and in a flash vanished his cloak and wand. Calcifer shook his head at the boy. They had been through this so many times before, and he still hadn't learned.

Sophie slammed the mittens on the counter and raised her hand, but didn't have the heart to shame him. She sighed. "Markl, I know you're excited for training. But you can't just wear the fact that you're a wizard when anyone could be watching us."

"I know, Sophie. I'm sorry." Markl said, his eyes dropping to his feet. He was nearly eleven years old, and while he was still young, he was living in a more dangerous situation than most kids his age. He and Sophie hardly had any time to practice magic, and it became more pressing the closer her due date came.

Sophie lowered her shoulders. She had felt the urge to do something with her powers all day long. She tried to contain it while cleaning, knowing that some of the spells that Howl had taught her would make the tasks go faster. Even the slightest change could cause detrimental for the life they so carefully made in Ovela. One wrong move and they would be back in Ingary.

Markl walked somberly to the living room and sat in the brown armchair. He tapped his foot against the chair, his feet only a few inches off the ground. Heen walked up to the chair and jumped next to the boy. Markl scooted over so Heen could lie next to him, rubbing his fingers against the dog's flappy ears. Though he knew how dangerous it was to practice his skills, his need to use magic grew stronger each day that he couldn't.

"Let's do it." Markl looked up at Sophie. She closed the draperies over the windows, blocking the sliver of sunlight and remaining residents from their view. "It's been a few days and I think we're both dying to cast a spell or two."

Calcifer raised his eyebrows. "You sure, Sophie? You haven't had the easiest time controlling your powers."

The Witch chuckled, her eyes glued to the book in her hands. "Let the girl have a little fun. It's all she gets with a baby on the way."

Sophie crinkled her eyebrows, but shook her head trying not to think too hard about what she said.

Calcifer narrowed his eyes at the old woman. "All I'm saying is when Sophie tries to use magic, something always explodes."

Sophie laughed. "Not every time."

Calcifer dragged his eyes to her. "Name one time that hasn't happened."

Sophie breathed a laugh, thinking she could remember a time when she knew how to control her powers. Her mind went blank, and her mouth was silent.

Calcifer smirked. "Exactly."

"Okay." Sophie said, still trying to defend herself. "But that's because I don't have enough practice. Maybe if I could use magic around the house, I could control it better."

Sophie raised her hands in an exhaling form, her eyes set on the broomstick in the corner. She lowered her chin, her arms shaking with either fear or power. Maybe both. Calcifer couldn't tell the difference.

The broomstick started to come alive, its bristles moving like a centipede's legs. Sophie opened her mouth, her eyes glistening like a child on Christmas morning. It started sweeping back and forth, crossing into the living room. Markl watched with excited eyes while Calcifer nodded, looking somewhat impressed. The Witch looked over for a moment, but found no real interest in a simple sweeping spell.

Sophie stretched her fingers and attempted to add some spark to the spell, hoping the broomstick would brush the ceiling for her. Contrary to Sophie's plan, the only spark she created was disintegrating the bristles. The bristles turned to ash from the bottom up to the wooden pole. Sophie drew her arms back, curling her hands into frightened fists. Calcifer and Markl yelped, their eyes bursting wide. Heen shivered next to Markl, backing further and further into the chair.

They each stared in shock as the wooden pole fell to the ground, rolling toward the coffee table. All eyes turned to Sophie, her apologetic smile all she could muster. "Uh, whoops?"

"And that's why we don't practice magic in the house." Calcifer said.

"At least it didn't explode." Sophie sighed and went to pick up the wooden pole. "I thought I could handle a simple spell."

"And you did." Calcifer said. "Until you got greedy and tried more than you could handle."

"But shouldn't I be able to do something a little more than simple? It wasn't even going to be that impressive."

Calcifer shrugged. "Howl works all day and you're usually cleaning or reading or socializing with the neighbors. Neither you nor Howl have the time to practice as much as you would like to."

Markl stood up and walked to Sophie's side. "It's okay. I never have time to practice either. It's like I'll be a novice forever."

"Don't say that, Markl." Sophie said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You and Howl will-"

They all heard a repeated knocking and Sophie went silent. The knocking was loud and ceaseless against their heavy door. Sophie tensed and Markl hugged her around the waist, trying to hide from the deafening sound. Calcifer breathed heavy and short breaths. No one was expected tonight. Everyone had gone home for the most part. And no one knocked this urgently.

Howl entered the living room, only his work slacks on. He held a hand towel, but other than that he hadn't showered yet. He turned to Sophie, his eyes glaring to make sure she was there and safe. The knocking continued. He threw the towel onto the couch and walked toward the door, stepping carefully so as not to make a sound. He turned to the others and raised a finger to his mouth. They nodded in unison.

Howl opened the heavy door, his other hand ready to attack. He slowly dropped his hand and shoulders, not moving a muscle.

"Howl, who is it?" Sophie rushed to the door and stopped next to him, her hand covering her mouth when she saw their guests.

A panting, filthy blonde woman, her hair reaching so far down her back in a disheveled braid. A man rested on her shoulder, so worn out he could have been dead for all they knew.

Sophie's voice was shaky. "Gwenda…"

Her eyes held desperate tears. "Please, help us."

 **End of the first of many! It started out slow but things will start to pick up. I hope you all got a good feel for each of the characters. I have planned out more chapters than in Thorns (almost twice as much to be honest) so be prepared for a long fanfiction! I'd love to hear what you guys think so feel free to review and share your thoughts! Thank you!**


	2. Survival of the Fittest

**Hooray for updates! I am not kidding, I got slammed with assignments my first week. First week! But I guess that's college for you (though I've been through this already, I should know what I'm up against). Anyway! Story time! I'm pretty sure you guys will get the picture with how I write my chapters after this one; and I hope they answer a few questions you might have had about our characters' pasts. This one is kinda long (3800 words roughly) so get comfy and start reading! Or don't... I might cry, but I understand... :P**

He was not powerful.

He was not strong.

He was not feared.

But he yearned to be. And she could teach him.

Kenta watched as the clang of sharp heels echoed through the long assembly room in a perfect beat. The other students that lined on his right and left stood tall and proper with their hands held behind their backs, like little statues. Kenta mimicked their actions and stood as still as he could, though his balance was slightly disparate from the homogenous group.

Their esteemed headmaster stood in the center of the long line and clicked her heels together. She raised her chin and smiled with satisfaction. "Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Madame Suliman." The group said in unison. Kenta kept his mouth shut, frightened that he would say the wrong thing at the wrong time. He didn't want to be singled out by Madame Suliman, the greatest sorceress of their time, on his first day in her School for Apprenticing Magicians.

"You are very lucky." Madame Suliman began. "You were chosen out of thousands who wished to enter my school. This group of fifty bright students of many ages and talents will learn not only what is it to be a great magician, but a powerful one."

Kenta smiled brightly. This was what his parents wanted for him - the most prestige school for magic and sorcery in Ingary. He was the first of his siblings to receive his family's line of magic, and his parents were determined to give him as much training as he needed to pursue the same dream his father and grandmother sought at his age. This was his chance to prove himself to them. This was his chance to prove himself to himself.

As he listened carefully to the Madame's speech, the boy next to him started fidgeting in his place. He tapped his foot on the ground, groaning obnoxiously and rolling his eyes. Kenta creased his eyebrows at the boy, but shook his head and returned to listening.

Kenta then felt a push on his arm and stumbled to the left, almost hitting the girl with the pretty red pigtails.

He gapped at the boy, crossing his arms. The boy looked forward, for the first time following the group of still statues. His long black hair reached just below his ear, much longer than Kenta's nearly shaved head. He took a deep breath in and joined the group once more.

"Now, how many of you are familiar with the Wastes and its connection to magicians?" Madame Suliman asked. A significant number of students raised their hands high, including Kenta. He had lived near the Wastes almost his whole life, and his grandmother was one of the many witches who lived there and trained her own apprentices. He would have trained with her, but she and his parents wanted Kenta to have another master teach him the things his family could not.

Kenta felt a smack on the back of his head as the boy next to him raised his hand. Kenta raised his eyebrows at the boy, watching him attempt to contain his laughter. Kenta bit his lip.

Madame Suliman nodded. "Good. The rest of you will soon discover how special the Land of the Wastes is to us." The group dropped their hands, Kenta extending his arm wide, making a fist as his hand hit the boy's head. Kenta smirked as he brought his hand to his side, watching from the corner of his eye the boy rubbing the top of his.

The boy fumed and snapped his fingers. Kenta's hand formed a fist again, only this time he wasn't in control of his own actions. He smacked himself on the head, stepping back from the blow. The boy chuckled softly, only increasing Kenta's anger toward him. Without a second thought, Kenta lunged for him.

"Hey, what's going on?" The students next to them diverted their attention from Madame Suliman to the two youngsters caught in brawl. Kenta held the boy's arms back, using most of his strength to keep him from moving. The boy struggled at first, but eventually used a spell that turned him to a green slime. He dissolved to the ground, only to reappear in his natural form moments later.

Kenta growled. "Why don't you fight like a real man? No magic."

The boy laughed. "Now where's the fun in that?"

Kenta clenched his fists and lunged for his fiend yet again, their fellow students now chanting for the fight to continue. The girl with the pretty red pigtails clapped and smiled at the fight, though the boy next to her tapped his fingers in worry.

"They're going to hurt each other." The boy said softly.

The girl turned to him and laughed. "Be quiet, Xarx. Who cares if they hurt each other? It's a fight."

Xarx tensed. "But, Noe… they can't…" He turned to Madame Suliman, hoping she would take control of the situation at hand. "Madame Suliman, aren't you going to stop them?"

Madame Suliman held her hands behind her back, her chin raised high as she watched the fight play out. Noe laughed as Kenta was caught by a left hook, and a few of the students whistled for the one apprentice who was by far stronger and more experienced. Xarx stood behind the crowd, avoiding any involvement.

Kenta held the boy by his long, mangy hair, listening to his cries of pain. He felt a few strains pull out before the boy switched the advantage, pushing Kenta to the ground with a kick to the face. He slid across the polished floor, blood dripping from his nose. The boy stood with his arms crossed over his chest, wearing the look of triumph Kenta so desperately hoped to achieve.

Some of the students cheered for the victor, his pride much stronger than it was before. Kenta wiped his nose clean of the blood, staining the new pair of jeans his mother bought before he left. She wanted him to impress the headmaster with his appearance. Now, he had just humiliated himself in front of her.

Madame Suliman walked slowly toward the two boys, Kenta standing up next to his enemy. Both of them lowered their gaze, afraid of what she would do to them for their actions.

She stood in front of the victor, her hands held behind her back and her shoulders straight. "Your name, young man?"

The boy coughed. "Um, Howl Pendragon, Madame."

Kenta seethed. Howl Pendragon. He would not forget that name. He would always hate that name. He would always defeat him from that moment on.

Madame Suliman smiled. "Well done, Howl Pendragon."

(—)

Howl relieved Gwenda of carrying Kenta on her back and brought him to the main room. Sophie gestured for her distressed friend to enter and she slammed the door shut after they were all safely inside. Sophie went to the window and peered through the curtain to see if anyone was still out. The sun was nearly gone, and so was the rest of Magnol. Hopefully, no one saw them enter, either.

Gwenda sighed and fell into the nearest chair. Heen wheezed and jumped by her side, hoping to grab her attention. She smiled softly and reached for him, but he was too short and her arms were too weak. He jumped onto her lap, licking her face and wagging his tail.

"I need to look inside." Howl said as he gently lay Kenta on the couch. The Witch stayed put until Howl nudged her to give their friend the full couch. She groaned and stood up, resting in the armchair instead. Markl hid behind Howl, looking around him to see the damages to Kenta. He was bleeding from his head and his white shirt was stained in red. His chest slowly rose with each breath, though those breaths were gradually decreasing.

Howl knelt beside the couch and placed his hand on Kenta's head, repeating a spell. He ran his hand over Kenta's lifeless body, a visual of his interior appearing in his mind. He could see where the injuries were and how detrimental they were to his health. He would not let Kenta die. Not after everything they had been through.

"What happened?" Calcifer said. He sat in his fireplace agape at the unconscious Kenta, though his attention soon directed to the very much alive Gwenda, watching Sophie sit next to her at the table. Gwenda smiled at their reunion, though it was painful to watch.

Gwenda rested a hand on Sophie's shoulders, staring at her stomach. "Well, you two have been busy."

Sophie rolled her eyes and smiled slightly. "I missed you so much."

"We did, too." Gwenda said. She turned to the brightly lit fire staring at her. His smile widened, and hers didn't look as painful anymore.

"It's great to see you again." Calcifer said. "Both of you."

"Sophie, Gwenda. I need your help." Gwenda darted her eyes between Howl and Calcifer, soon following behind Sophie. "I need Gwenda to get a bucket of water to wash the blood from his face so I can see the cut more clearly. Sophie… you're going to assist me."

Sophie bobbed her head. "You mean… with magic?"

Howl nodded. Sophie had never used her powers on another being, only inanimate objects to bring them to life for a brief moment. Kenta was injured. He was slowly dying. One wrong move and the list of consequences would be endless.

"Wait." Gwenda pushed the air and took a step back. "You have magic?"

Sophie looked to her and nodded. "Ever since the baby, yes."

Gwenda tilted her head, her eyebrows creased upward. "Wow. I didn't know it worked that way."

"That's why we need to practice as often as possible so she doesn't lose control in the last few months of the pregnancy." Howl said as he started to rip open Kenta's shirt, revealing his blood-stained chest. "The closer she gets to the due date, the more power she has. She needs to learn how to channel her magic."

"Which I'm working on." Sophie snapped.

Howl looked to Gwenda. "Please. I need that bucket with a few towels. Bucket is under the sink and there's a well behind the cottage. Try and not let anyone see you." She nodded and left.

Sophie knelt next to Howl, watching as he pulled Kenta's shirt to his sides to open his center more. Howl gently reached for Sophie's hands, slowly bringing it to the open wound to the right of his chest. She did not fight with him; he moved her hands like a puppet master, guiding her to where the spell should take place.

"Howl, are you sure about this?" Calcifer asked. "This is Kenta's life. Sophie has never healed anyone before."

Howl cringed, his eyes staring only at his dying friend. "I just want to see if she can do it."

Calcifer sighed and nodded.

"Now, repeat the healing spell I taught you." Howl whispered. Sophie gulped loudly and shook her slightly before accepting the task. Markl leaned over Howl's shoulder to watch the events take place, curious to see what Sophie would do. The Witch sat in her chair, her book finally finished but a dying man in her favorite seat.

With one hand over the other on Kenta's wound, Sophie whispered the spell word for word. Her fingers began to light up, like sundrops falling from them. It was calm; she was calm. Until her mind drifted away.

Kenta dying. Her responsibility. Her fault.

Howl grabbed her wrist as lightning struck from her fingers, hitting the chandelier above the kitchen table. The light fixture cracked and the light darkened. It barely hung to the ceiling, tilted to nearly a ninety degree angle. Sophie gasped heavily. She almost electrocuted Kenta. She just ruined her favorite part of the kitchen.

Gwenda rushed back in, grunting from the weight of the bucket. She dropped the bucket to close to the door, a few droplets falling from the sides to the ground. "What happened? I heard a loud crash from outside."

Sophie ground her teeth and shakily pointed to the chandelier. Gwenda raised her eyebrows. She sighed exhaustively and rubbed her temple. "Today has been such a weird day."

Sophie turned to Howl, his hands already on Kenta's wound. He looked at her, biting his lip. "I'll take over."

Howl repeated the healing spell, the droplets of sun falling from his fingertips into Kenta's wound. Gwenda carried the bucket of water with both arms, holding it as close to her chest as possible. Heen followed her from the door to the living room, wanting more attention from his old friend. She gradually lowered it to the ground next to Howl. Sophie pushed off of the coffee table, Gwenda supporting her as she struggled to stand up.

She dusted off her apron. "I'll get the towels."

As Howl moved his hand to Kenta's head wound, the fallen wizard gagged and spat at Howl's face, still unconscious. Markl ducked behind Howl and missed the blow. Gwenda raised her hands to cover her mouth, her eyes wide as she noticed the little splatters of blood covering Howl's face. He sat still, his mouth closed and eyes shut.

Sophie returned with three hand towels around her arm, noticing Howl's bloody face. "Here you go, honey."

He nodded in gratitude and dipped the towel in the bucket, then raised it to wash his face clean. He adjusted his jaw and threw the towel into the bucket, taking another from Sophie and dipping it as well. He squeezed out the excess and rubbed the towel against Kenta's side wound first, uncovering the adjustment Howl made. A line of stitches closed his side, like he stitched a piece of clothing together.

He washed Kenta's face and repeated the healing spell on his head wound, the line of stitches threading through his skin and hiding his uncovered skull. Howl then placed his hand over Kenta's heart and whispered something entirely different.

Soon enough, Kenta was breathing normally. It looked like he was merely sleeping. Overall, he looked healthy again.

Howl stood up with an exhaustive sigh. "He'll be fine. With a little bit of rest, I'll bet he wakes up in the morning."

Sophie held Gwenda's shoulder and pulled her closer. Gwenda nodded as she subconsciously bit her lip. "We were so close."

"To… finding Lona?"

Gwenda nodded. Howl turned to Markl and whispered something to him, and the little boy scurried away to the hallway. He motioned for everyone to move to the kitchen table and sit.

Sophie sighed as she spotted the pot of soup on the stove. "Our dinner is cold."

"And the table's a mess." Howl snapped his fingers and the bits of chandelier and dust floated to the dust pan in the corner. He raised his hands and the chandelier returned to its sturdy position on the ceiling rather than hanging by a thread. Once cleared, he along with Gwenda and the Witch sat down. Sophie relit the stove, waiting for the minuscule fire to warm their meal. She opened the oven door, put on her oven mitts, and pulled the chicken pot pie out. She placed the meal on the table, thankful that the crust was the only part that seemed charred from overcooking.

Markl returned with one of Howl's shirts. He thanked the boy and pulled it over his head, forgetting about the shower he wanted to take before their visitors' unannounced arrival. Sophie stirred the pot until it seemed hot enough to serve again. She took the bowls on the table and filled each about three-quarters full. Gwenda thanked her for her kindness. Gwenda assumed that having two extra mouths in the house may be difficult for a while, but she didn't know where else to turn to at a time like this.

"Sure, I'll just hang out here while you all talk over there." Calcifer said. Howl rolled his eyes while Sophie and Gwenda chuckled. Calcifer sighed and rested his arms on the molten wood. He watched everyone gather at the table, even Heen leaving the warmth of his fire to beg for some scraps someone might throw to him.

Howl waited until everyone had taken a place at the dining table and had something to eat before questioning Gwenda. "Now, what happened out there?"

Gwenda slurped her soup and gulped quickly. "We went to my old house in Porthaven, but it was already in new ownership. We thought she was near the Wastes, where Kenta's cottage was. The neighbors said Lona left a long time ago and never came back, saying a witch stopped by one day and then she was gone. We thought she'd be farther into the Wastes, but Suliman had so many of her brainwashed pigs that we couldn't get ten miles into the area."

Sophie widened her eyes. "Suliman found you?"

"We evaded them then, and that's when we decided to find you again, to regroup and find a safe place to hide." Gwenda swallowed hard and straightened her back as shivers sparked through her spine. "Right as we crossed the border into Ovela, they found us again."

Howl sat still with his arms crossed. "And that's how he was injured."

Gwenda's eyes began to glisten, but she blinked back the weakness. "His own kind attacked him."

"That's how I felt during the war." Howl picked at the crumbled pot pie on his plate. "I remember an instance when Kenta was one of them and I was his target. I couldn't bear to hurt him, so I fled."

Sophie held Howl's hand. "At least he's no longer under her control."

"Yes, but what about the others?" Gwenda asked. "How are we going to save them?"

Howl drank the rest of his soup and sighed dramatically. "First, let's worry about healing Kenta. Then we can worry about the others."

"He gave me this ring." Gwenda raised her right hand, showing a blue stoned ring Sophie and Howl were all too familiar with. "Right before he fell unconscious. He told me that I only needed to think of where to go, and the light would point me in the right direction. It pointed to you."

Howl smiled. "I was wondering how you were able to find us."

Gwenda smirked. "It was a miracle I even made it to Magnol with him on my shoulders. I probably carried him for five miles before I found this town. The light increased and pointed to your cottage, so I knocked."

"You're here now, that's all that matters." Sophie reached her hand across the table and held hers in an effort to comfort Gwenda. They had been through so much in such a short amount of time. She needed to know she was safe.

Once dinner was finished, Gwenda helped Sophie clear the table. Howl left to take the shower he had intended to take prior so he could get some rest before work in the morning - to which Gwenda replied, "Howl and work actually go in a sentence together?"

Markl offered to give up his room for Gwenda and sleep on the ground, but Gwenda insisted on sleeping in the living room. "You've done so much for us already. I don't mind. This way, Calcifer and I can gossip about you guys now."

Calcifer laughed. "You bet we will."

Sophie rolled her eyes as she placed the last dry bowl in the cupboard. "Hopefully you don't stay up too late. We have to come up with a story for why two strangers came to town late last night." Sophie wiped her hands on her apron and embraced Gwenda. "I'm heading off to bed. You get some well-earned rest."

Gwenda nodded. "Will do."

Markl brought out a few blankets and pillows for her and she thanked the young boy. He helped the Witch to her bedroom, though she was certain she didn't need anyone's help. Gwenda wrapped one of the blankets around Kenta to keep him warm through the night. She gently lifted his head, stuffing the soft pillow underneath and releasing him.

He was still breathing; he was still alive.

Gwenda sighed exhaustively. "What a day. I hardly expected to get any sleep, let alone have a pillow to rest on."

"You're safe now." Calcifer said. Gwenda smiled as she curled underneath the blanket, basking in Calcifer's warmth. Heen wheezed as he hurried his tiny body to her. He spun around a couple times before dropping his legs and curling next to her stomach. She laughed softly and scratched behind his ears as he drifted into a deep sleep.

Calcifer cleared his throat. "Looks like you and Kenta get along now."

Gwenda looked up at him. "Oh, wow. I completely forgot about that."

Calcifer laughed. "You forgot how much you hated him when you saw him in Howl's castle?"

Gwenda joined him laughter. "I really did hate him them. We actually grew close during our trip, though. The only thing we really had in common was Lona. And how stubborn we are. I don't know, I guess I finally accepted the fact that not all magicians are bad."

"Did you ever think that I was bad?"

Gwenda paused. "Surprisingly… no."

Calcifer raised his eyebrows. "Really? You weren't scared of an extremely powerful fire demon named Calcifer?" He exhaled a line of fire from his mouth, the flames dispersing quickly. Gwenda chuckled, but Heen curled closer to her in fear.

She ran her fingers down the poor dog's back in comfort, although she was still entertained by Calcifer's title. "Is that something you came up with?"

"Eh, I just like to do that sometimes." Calcifer shrugged. He watched closely as she hummed a soft tune, gradually soothing Heen into a quiet slumber. He flapped his long ears and took long breaths before dropping his head on his tiny legs. He watched her smile widen as the dog nodded off into his dreams. The only thought racing through his mind was how she continued to smile when life had been so uncaring to her.

He almost forgot that he was staring until she matched his gaze, tilting her head in confusion. "Something wrong?"

Calcifer paused for a moment and shook his head. "No, just a little tired. We should get some rest."

Gwenda nodded. "Yeah, I could use a break from life at the moment." Calcifer managed a half laugh, his eyes begging to capture one last glimpse before she turned around and sleepily whispered the words, "Good night, Cal."

Cal. No one had ever given him a nickname. Or perhaps she was so tired she couldn't fully say his name. Either way, he kind of liked it.

 **So they hate each other but they're best friends? Kenta vow to always defeat Howl and now he's saving Kenta's life? I probably raised more questions than I answered, but that's okay! Things will clear up soon. A little life and death situation right off the bat, huh? But now Kenta and Gwenda are back! I got a few reviews for Thorns from people who really liked them, so I made sure they had a role in here, too. See anything else you like? Make sure to review and I'll get back to you on it!**


	3. Pursuance

**FINALLY! Geez, this one took a while, I apologize for that. I did make this one pretty long to make up for it, though :) School has literally been a nightmare. I mean, it's almost 2 in the morning and I'm trying to post this. My life = so much stress. Anyway! I've got another chapter for you and I hope you like it!**

She never liked magic. Better yet, she loathed it and those who possessed such abilities. They always viewed themselves so highly above humans and used their powers for selfish reasons. They were scam artists and thieves. She never liked magic.

Which made her reasons for riding a gryphon as he flew through the sky so logical.

"I cannot believe you convinced me to get on!" Gwenda screeched as she pulled at his raven black mane. Kenta growled in annoyance, though she didn't lighten her grip. He waved his head side to side, causing Gwenda to reach and hold as far down his neck as she could. "Stop moving so much! Just fly faster!"

Kenta kicked his large paws through the air as his majestic wings flapped with a strong force. They flew higher in the air, which did not ease Gwenda in the slightest. She shook the fallen hairs from her braid to depart from her face and and groaned. When they went to her old home in Port Haven, she preferred the bus system. A flying gryphon when the majority of magical creatures were under Suliman's keeping would be too obvious to her court. They would have been spotted and taken for questioning or brainwashing or whatever that evil sorceress planned to do. It was safer to blend in. Now that they were in magic's territory, all bets were off.

Kenta nodded toward the clouds below them, but Gwenda couldn't understand him. Since her home in Port Haven was under new ownership, Lona was definitely not there. Kenta said it would be more likely for her to be at his cottage right outside the Wastes, reminding Gwenda of the last time she saw her sister.

Yelling, screaming, but at least no one threw anything at each other. Gwenda always hoped she would apologize and come back, but she assumed Lona was hoping for the same thing. They were completely different; the one thing they did have in common was their pride.

Gwenda tightened her grip on Kenta's mane and pulled harder. He yelped slightly and she released, though it wasn't entirely an accident. He flew in a swift motion toward the clouds and they passed through like a bubble popping without a sound.

"Where are we going?" she shouted, though her voice was lost in the harsh winds gusting from their descent. He kicked faster until the ground was in sight. They had flown straight above the Wastes unharmed. Everyone knew that the Wastes began and ended with the little neighborhood of farming cottages at the edge of the Folding Valley, and Kenta's was one of them. He was as close to the Wastes as they could be without actually being there - and as far away from Kingsbury as he felt comfortable.

Kenta landed hard in one of the fields, shaking the ground as his hefty body grounded. A flight of doves fled from the fields, cooing as they exalted into the air in a perfect symphony. Gwenda didn't waste any time getting off of him. She let go of his mane and slid down the side of his back, tumbling on the ground. She stood up fast and dusted herself off, sighing with relief that she didn't have to get back on there.

She turned around as Kenta glowed, his animalistic features slowly transitioning into his human form. His talons turned to hands; his mane shortened into his hair and beard; his large wings disappeared; and his beak pushed in, revealing the face Gwenda remembered.

Especially his scowling look. "Seriously? Pulling on my mane won't make me go faster."

Gwenda smirked and crossed her arms. "Actually, I think it did."

Kenta narrowed his eyes. "Well, it's not very nice."

"Let's just do what we came here for." Gwenda said and turned to the line of small homes. "Now, which one is yours?"

"The one farthest from the others." Kenta pointed. She nodded and walked carefully through the fields of grain until the grass was not the same height as her. The dirt path led to the many small cottages that separated the Wastes from civilization. Kenta's was the nearest to the invisible border, secluded from the others.

Gwenda raised her eyebrows. "So, you isolated my sister?"

Kenta sighed. "No, I did not. She was very social with the women in this neighborhood. We even hosted a neighborhood party when she first moved-"

"Fine. Whatever. I don't care." Gwenda walked faster and left Kenta trudging behind her. She tightened her braid and pushed the fallen strands when they fell over her face. The path ended at his front door, where the grass and rocks led the way up the mountain they had just come from. Gwenda stopped dead in her tracks, Kenta almost running into her from behind. The windows were broken, the door barely hung on its hinges, and there was no sign of life anywhere in the house.

"No…" Gwenda rushed forward and slammed the door to the side, weakening the hinges even further. Kenta held the door before it fell completely, dropping it gently to the ground. He watched as Gwenda stared at the destruction of the house, the dusty furniture and brokenness of the home a ghastly sight. Picture frames were cracked. The only light that illuminated the dim room was from the fleeting sun, and soon there would darkness again.

Gwenda picked up one of the frames from the floor and removed the broken glass. It was of Kenta and Lona, and their smiles made them appear so content. She nuzzled next to him, Kenta's arm wrapped firmly around her shoulders. Her hair was an uncanny resemblance to Gwenda's, although Lona let hers run free rather than in the constraint of a braid.

Gwenda recognized the location. She was even in the background working. It was Lettie's bakery.

Kenta cleared his throat. "We didn't know you worked there when we went."

Gwenda straightened her back. "So this was when I worked at the bakery."

Kenta gulped. "Lona didn't want things to be awkward."

"She could have at least faced me." Gwenda whispered.

Kenta raised his hand to rest on her shoulder, but advised against it at the last second and dropped his arm. Gwenda's shoulders began to shake, and Kenta heard her sniffle. As much as he wanted to comfort her, he knew she didn't want anything from him.

"She'll be fine." Kenta said. "We'll find her. If we have to search the entire Wastes, I promise you we will find her."

Gwenda stopped her trembling shoulders, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. She turned around to face Kenta, her eyes showing a light shade of red. She bit her lip hard, forming fists by her side. "You better believe we will. Because if we don't, I'm holding _you_ accountable."

(—)

Sleep was a beautiful thing. Sophie loved resting her eyes after a long day, and they did not resist. The soft pillows surrounded her and the warmth from the large, fluffy quilt made the bed a slumber heaven. She usually slept on her side, her feet kicked out to as far as they could reach. She cradled one of the pillows while the others were there for support. Sleep was so beautiful.

Her alarm, however, was not.

Sophie widened her eyes at the sound of Heen's wheezing and scratching. Their bed was too high for him to jump onto, so he sat on the wooden floor and scratched at the bed frame, his wheezes attempting to awaken the sleeping couple. Sophie sat up on her elbow and looked down at Heen, his tail wagging with excitement. She sighed and turned to Howl, who was still curled up under the warmth. She pushed Howl's shoulder lightly, but he moaned and covered himself further with the blanket.

"Come on, Howl." Sophie whispered into his ear. "Today is your meeting with Thomas."

"Later. It's too early." Howl said, his voice muffled by the multitude of pillows. Their room wasn't nearly as extravagant as it was in Howl's castle, but they had to leave some of those treasures behind. They had to keep their living style to a minimum, to something of a normal standard. If someone happened to walk by and noticed Howl's array of magical items in their room, word would spread and spread quickly.

Sophie turned on the hanging lamp, causing Howl to curl away from the light. She pulled the covers off, but he snapped his fingers and the covers returned to him. She narrowed her eyes at him, but admitted defeat. He would just use his magic to stay in bed, anyway.

Heen followed the lethargic Sophie down the hallway until they reached Markl's room. Even though it was Saturday, Markl still had work. Tomorrow, Heen would let him rest.

When Sophie reached the main living area, she took a step back. Kenta was still asleep on the couch, and Gwenda lay on the ground next to Calcifer's flame. She almost forgot about the previous night's events and Kenta's near death experience. She smiled softly. Even with everything that had happened, she was just glad to have them safe and reunited with them again.

Sophie walked over to the living room, careful not to step on Gwenda's hair. It was so much longer than Sophie's used to be, and much thicker. Her braid was at least twice the size of her own when she used to confine her lengthy hair to a braid. Even in its greasy state, it still looked more beautiful to Sophie than her own hair before she met Howl.

Sophie turned to Calcifer, though he seemed blind to her presence. He rested on the ashen log, his arms crossing over his front as he stared at the sleeping guests. His gaze focused on Gwenda, almost looking suspicious of the girl.

Her breathing was slow, but stable. She breathed through her mouth in her sleep, he assumed, since it was wide open with a line of drool creeping at the corner. At least she didn't snore, Calcifer thought, or it might have been a long night. One of Gwenda's arm reached under the pillow while the other reached over, neither touching the other. She looked comfortably at rest.

"Here you go." Calcifer jumped slightly at the appearance of another log atop the small pile of ashes. He nodded at Sophie's kind gesture and thanked her, returning his gaze to its previous state. Sophie stood straight, running her hand over her stomach. "Are you all right, Calcifer?"

"Hmm?" he asked, dragging his eyes toward her. He smiled and nodded. "I'm fine."

She raised one eyebrow, still skeptical of Calcifer. However, she moved to the kitchen to start breakfast. She opened the cabinet filled with plates and bowls to set the table. As she reached for one, she hesitated and held her hand at bay. Howl said she needed to practice as often as possible, and this was such a simple task, any beginning magician could accomplish it.

She hoped.

She took a couple steps back and held her shoulders back. She raised her arms and cleared her throat, focusing on the plates. She flipped her hands so the palms faced the ceiling, whispering a levitation spell. She could hear the trembling plates as they were now under her control. She didn't break concentration; she raised her hands further.

Six plates raised in unison with her hands. They floated out of the cupboard and toward her, closer to the table. One by one, they set themselves at the proper place settings. By the fourth plate, however, she felt an eerily familiar spark.

Sophie gasped as bolts flew from her fingertips and hit the remaining plates, breaking them in midair and landing on the ground in pieces. The sound of the crash was loud and awoke Gwenda instantly.

Calcifer jumped slightly, holding onto the grate tightly. "Geez, Soph!"

"What the hell?" Gwenda said as she sat up quickly. She rested her hand on her forehead, scrunching her eyes tightly.

"Good morning, sunshine." Calcifer said with a smirk.

Gwenda shook her head. "I feel like I'm having a hangover."

"I'm sorry to wake you, Gwenda." Sophie said, approaching the living room. "I was testing my magic again. Not very successfully, as you can tell."

"At least you're practicing." Gwenda said with a shrug. "That's all that matters."

Sophie sighed. "I wish that was all it was."

Once Gwenda felt her headache vanish, she removed the blanket and stood up. "Let me help you clean those up."

Sophie smiled. "Thank you. I actually need to make sure Howl gets out of bed. He has a meeting with his boss soon."

Sophie walked down the hallway as Gwenda carefully walked passed the broken plates to the broom and pan. The broom was only a stick, however, confusing Gwenda on how Sophie usually swept the floor. Next to the pan, however, was a smaller broom, meaning she had to kneel to sweep the broken dishes. She swept the broken pieces into the pan, carefully checking for smaller bits she may have missed under the couch and dining table. The crunch of the tableware made Gwenda cringe. She hated broken glass; she was always afraid of that one piece she was destined to miss and that out of nowhere it would pinch her foot. She was not a fan of sharp objects.

As she poured the broken pieces into the trash, she let out a long yawn. "Boy, I couldn't sleep for the longest time."

"You slept for a while."

Gwenda turned to Calcifer, watching as he dusted the ashes to the back of the fireplace. He cleared the front of the smooth concrete over the mix of bright and dull red bricks so casually, like it was a morning ritual of his.

She blinked. "Did you not sleep at all?"

Calcifer looked up at her. "I don't need sleep. It's kind of a luxury if I desire it. Like other things."

Gwenda laughed lightly and smiled. "Really?"

Calcifer nodded. "Yes, really."

"Doesn't that sound nice. I wish I was a fire demon." She returned the small broom and pan to its rightful place on the wall hook. When she returned to the living room, Calcifer stared at her, his eyes terrifying her.

"No you don't." Calcifer said, his voice low. "Don't ever say that."

Gwenda bobbed her head. "Say what?"

"That you wish you were a fire demon. It's not funny."

"I wasn't trying to be funny." Gwenda sat on the coffee table, gesturing her hands toward him. "I mean, I guess I don't really want to be a fire demon, but you have so many perks. No need for sleep, the power to control an entire castle, and you're eternal. What else could you want?"

Calcifer shook his head. "Humans don't realize how lucky they are."

Gwenda chuckled. "Huh, magical life or dull life. Seems like an easy decision to me." Even though she loathed magic, she saw how tempting it was to have and control. She had seen it in the eyes of so many magicians, and the look was always the same.

Calcifer sighed. "You're right. Silly me."

Gwenda raised her eyebrows, watching as Calcifer returned to clearing the ashes away. She placed her hand over her heart, biting her lip. "No, please tell me, Calcifer. I'm sorry if I offended you. I wanted to ask you last night; something seemed to be troubling you."

"It's not worth explaining."

"But Cal-" Before she could ask, Sophie and Howl walked into the main room, Markl and Heen not too far behind. Gwenda looked back at Calcifer, though it seemed like he had already ended the conversation.

Sophie and Gwenda cooked eggs and bacon for the family, a favorite of theirs. Markl loved it more than anything, and Heen was more a fan of human food than dog food, which seemed typical for any dog. The Witch came to breakfast late, though she said she was in her room deciding what her next read should be.

Markl and Heen rushed to make it to work on time. Sophie walked Howl to the door, wishing him luck on his meeting with Thomas. He kissed her goodbye, and the workers were gone.

After Gwenda washed up - not having a shower for a few days really did a number on her - she and Sophie spent the majority of their time talking in the kitchen catching up on what they've missed in the last six months. The Witch sat in the armchair, every so often glancing at Kenta. She narrowed her eyes, watching him take up her reading space. Calcifer watched everyone go about their business. He flicked the ashes as they appeared from the logs, watching as its lifespan shortened with each passing second.

Around midday, as Sophie was ready to start lunch, the Witch slammed her book shut and stood up with her fists at her side. Sophie and Gwenda turned to her, watching as she repeatedly poked at Kenta's face.

Sophie stood up. "What are you doing?"

As she continued this treatment, Kenta scrunched his nose and bobbed his head back and forth. He slowly opened his eyes, startled to see an angry witch hovering over him.

"Someone's awake." Calcifer said.

"Good." The Witch narrowed her eyes once more. "Now you can move over. You're in my seat."

She shooed at his face, pushing him to move. He struggled to sit up, so Sophie helped him steady himself. The Witch dramatically sat in the corner and harrumphed. She turned the lamp on, rested her arm on the side, and continued reading her book.

"Gwenda, bring him some water." Sophie felt his forehead, his fever not as present as before and his wounds healing faster than normal. With the spells that Howl cast, it was to be expected. "How are you feeling? Are you lightheaded?"

"I'm uh… I think I'm okay." Kenta rubbed his temple and shook his head, trying to focus his eyesight. He turned to Sophie, his eyes immediately dropping to her extended stomach. "Oh, uh… wow."

Sophie laughed nervously. "Yeah. Howl and I are expecting."

He tilted his head slightly, but cleared his throat and nodded. "Congratulations." Gwenda handed him the glass of water and he thanked her. He took his time swallowing until the cup was barren. He moved his limbs around to regain control of them after resting for so long.

"How do you feel?" Gwenda asked as she rubbed his back.

"Fine. I'm fine." Kent said. He looked at her, his eyes filled with worry and confusion. "What happened?"

"Suliman's henchmen attacked us right as we crossed the border into Ovela. They knocked you out. Do you remember anything?"

Kenta nodded. "Yes, vaguely." He turned to the ring on her right index finger. "You used the ring, I see."

Gwenda shrugged with a smile."Wasn't too hard to find them."

Kenta smiled and patted her back. "Good girl." He attempted to stand, but his legs wobbled and he fell right back onto the couch. Sophie eased his fall, but Kenta grunted and clenched his teeth. The Witch paid little mind to his struggles, her mind wrapped around the story before her. Sophie wondered how she could be engrossed in some adventure even when their own lives were practically a story yet to be told.

As Sophie returned to the kitchen to refill the glass, they heard a soft knock at the door. Gwenda and Kenta turned to Sophie. She stared at the door. The knock was familiar, even typical for this time of day. Calcifer nodded and vanished from sight. Gwenda turned to the lifeless fire, wondering if he was in hiding or had transported somewhere else.

Sophie went to the door and whispered, "Follow my lead." On the other side was an elderly woman. Not quite the age of the Witch of the Waste, but still older than everyone else in the room. She wore a simple blue dress, similar to the one Gwenda and the other employees were assigned to wear in the Palace. However, the woman's was much more traditional. She wore a straw hat that covered a portion of her short grey curls.

"Donna, how are you?" Sophie smiled and hugged the woman tightly. Donna stepped through, making herself at home. Gwenda stood next to Kenta, both darting their eyes between Sophie, Donna, and each other.

"I'm doing all right, sweet pea." She said with a wide smile. Donna placed her hat on the dining room table. "Hello, Irma. Tackling another book I see?"

The Witch chuckled. "This is my third one in a week. I think that's a new record."

"You always surprise me." Donna bent her knees slightly and touched Sophie's stomach. "And hello to you, little one. You're getting so big in there."

Sophie laughed as she watched Donna act like a grandmother. It was something she had always wanted, but didn't have children of her own. Sophie was glad to be there to bring such joy to her face.

Donna grunted as she stood straight. "I wanted to drop in and tell you about something you might not be aware of yet…"

Her eyes travelled across the room, first to Irma reading silently and then to the two strangers. Gwenda and Kenta froze in their positions, Gwenda nervously raising her hand and waving.

Donna smiled. "Oh, hello there."

"Oh, right um… this is my sister, Gwenda." Sophie walked over to introduce them. She paused when she saw Kenta, trying to think quick on her feet. "And this is her husband, Kenta."

Kenta and Gwenda widened their eyes and turned to each other, the disgust of being a couple entering their minds and causing them to mentally vomit. However, Donna bought the idea, which was all that mattered.

Sophie smiled at Donna. "They're just visiting for the week."

"Oh, how lovely." Donna said. She gave Gwenda a squeeze on her shoulder. "You seem like a wonderful couple."

Gwenda laughed lightly, turning to Kenta with a wide smile. "Yup, that's us. Aren't we wonderful, honey?" Kenta shook his head, but smiled for the act. There was a soft laughter that only Gwenda could hear coming from the far side of the room. Only Calcifer.

"Would you like some tea?" Sophie said, walking toward the kitchen. "I was just going to heat up some water, actually."

"Oh, that's quite all right, dear." Donna followed her. "I wasn't planning on staying long. I just wanted to warn you of some intruders that flew in last night."

Sophie dropped the ladle with a loud thud, cursing under her breath. She bent slowly to pick it up, but Donna gently moved her aside to help. Sophie thanked her and dropped the ladle in the sink, reaching for another. She gulped before clearing her dry throat. "Someone _flew_ in?"

"I know, something we don't usually hear around here." Donna sat at the dining room table and rested her head in her palm. "Since you're from Ingary, you might be more familiar with wizards and magicians than we are. We haven't had any in this country for well over a century, before I was even born."

"Well, yes. Ingary was known for having quite amazing magicians." Sophie said as she turned the stove on. Her gaze fell to Gwenda and Kenta, their nervous eyes and biting lips causing her more anxiety. "Are you saying there are some in Ovela now?"

"I hope not." Donna said. "We've always seen trouble with magic; wizards and sorcerers are always taking advantage of their powers and using them against helpless humans."

Kenta breathed heavily and tried to stand up, but grunted from his weak and feeble legs. Gwenda helped him rest, whispering something softly to him that Sophie couldn't hear. She could tell that Donna's comments were killing him inside, though.

Donna turned to Gwenda and Kenta with sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid you've come at a bad time. This normally doesn't happen in our parts."

Gwenda shook her head. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

Sophie agreed. "I bet things will blow over shortly."

Donna shrugged. "I hope so. Anyway, I just came to warn you, sweet pea. I wouldn't want anything happening to you and that baby. With the due date coming in a couple months, I want to make sure you're safe."

Sophie smiled. "Thank you."

Donna stood up and walked herself to the door, Sophie following suit. She turned around and waved to the seemingly happy couple. "It was wonderful to meet you. I hope you enjoy Magnol."

They said their goodbyes and Donna departed. Sophie shut the door softly, Calcifer's cue to return to the group. Kenta glared at the door with a clenched jaw. He was very much proud of his magic, and to hear someone speak so low of him because of a few who abused their gift enraged him.

"I'm sorry." Sophie said. "Ovela is not a country where magic is accepted."

"So, I'm guessing no one here knows that you all have magic then, huh?" Kenta seethed.

Sophie nodded. "And I intend for it to stay that way. I don't have to like that my friends here despise of our magical background. As long as we're away from Suliman, I can handle the silent criticism."

Kenta shook his head in a bow. "It's not enough."

"What was that?" Sophie asked.

"Nothing." Kenta said.

Sophie shrugged. "I guess Donna saw you two coming in last night then, right? That's where she saw the wizards."

Gwenda paused for a moment, looking to Kenta for confirmation. "We weren't flying. He was unconscious, so I carried him here. I was pretty confident that no one saw us."

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Then, how would she have seen wizards?"

Gwenda started to speak, but the words couldn't leave her lips. She turned to Calcifer, her shoulders shaking and her foot tapping the ground. His eyes widened. He didn't need her to say anything for him to know what was going on.

Kenta cleared his throat. "King Rolland has declared war on Ovela." Sophie dropped her shoulders, her jaw agape. "He and Justin know you're here."

 **And you all thought they were safe! Oh... that was just me? Sorry XP Justin just doesn't understand the word 'no,' am I right? Well, we shall find out soon enough! Also, I wanted to ask your opinions on my opening scenes. Are they helpful to know more about the character's pasts and how they relate to the present story? Lemme know in the reviews! Thank you!**


	4. Power

**OMG this one took so long! I seriously apologize, this one was just so hard to get through and I feel even worse because it's probably one of the shortest chapters of the story (most of them will probably be more than 3k). School has become a major stress and not being able to write was tearing me apart. I probably spent a week away from this chapter, making it that much harder. On a better note, the next chapter is up! Yay! I also have decided to try something new: At the end of some chapters (not all, sorry), I have decided to put random facts about the story! Things like meaning behind character names, side notes on titles, and anything really that relates to the story. I'll put one at the end of this chapter, but you'll see them every once in a while! Okay, I'll be quite. Enjoy!**

She had always seen the Palace from afar, always dreamed about the beauty and magnificence inside. She imagined walking through the extravagant hallways and dancing with royalty and wearing the most beautiful gown. She even imagined finding her true love. It was an unreachable dream, something she never thought would become true. But somehow, they were important enough to come to the Royal Banquet.

Little Sophie stared in awe as they walked through the Palace doors into the main foyer, greeted by so many guards in static lines. She held her stepmother's hand and her little sister's, Lettie. Martha had just turned two and was still fussy, so their father held the baby in his arms. All three girls wore beautiful gowns, just as Sophie imagined. She wore a blue dress that sparkled in from the light, her long, brown hair in dazzling curls to compliment the look. Lettie's dress was pink, her favorite color. Sophie never liked pink. In fact, she preferred yellow or green, but she was still grateful for the dress her mother picked for her.

Martha wore a white dress, which was typical for most infants to wear at such a gathering. While Ellis was much more traditional, his wife Honey was very stylish and wanted her girls to appear like they belonged, and Sophie felt like they had very much accomplished that.

As the Hatter family walked down the hallway, a pair of guards held a large door open for them to enter. Honey and Ellis nodded with respect, while the two older daughters rushed ahead in amazement, their eyes glistening with excitement.

Chandeliers of the most exquisite diamonds and jewels lit the space and decorated the large ballroom. The stars from above were clear from the glass ceiling and walls, the room an extension of the night sky. The wooden floor was a dark, seamless pattern throughout the entire space. Men in suits and women in ballgowns danced along to the symphony on the center stage. Sophie and Lettie tightened their grips as they squealed with content. Their dream had come true.

"Girls, why don't you talk to those three boys over there?" Sophie and Lettie turned around, Honey's hand resting on their shoulders. "I think it would lovely if you socialized with children your age."

"But Mother," Sophie whispered, "they look so much older than us."

"Only by a few years, but you'll get along."

She walked them toward the boys dressed in highly mature fashion. Two of the boys wore suits with gold ties and handkerchiefs. One was extremely tall and handsome, and Sophie guessed he was nearly three times her age. The other who matched him in style didn't appear as old, but still seemed to be in his teens. The third - also in his teens, she assumed - wore a more unusual style. No suit, but rather a colorful, exotic shirt and black slacks.

When the three noticed them, Honey smiled wide. "Hello there, boys. These are my daughters, Sophie and Lettie. I would much appreciate it if you made them feel welcome. They're so very nervous to be here and don't have anyone else their age to talk to."

The boys looked back and forth to each other, the oldest of the three rolling his eyes and whispering something inaudible to the others.

The one with the colorful shirt smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess so."

Lettie and Sophie looked at each other, hoping Honey wouldn't leave them.

"See girls? They'd love to play with you." She pushed them lightly toward the boys and sighed with relief. "Enjoy, my little princesses."

As she scurried off, Lettie and Sophie spent the next few moments darting their eyes between each other, the boys, and the floor. Sophie only had a couple friends in school, and they had approached her, not the other way around. She was too nervous to start up a conversation with someone she didn't already know.

"So, are you both really princesses?" The younger boy in gold asked. Sophie darted her eyes between the three pairs of eyes staring at them, her fingers shaking and her foot tapping rapidly. The older boy seemed highly unenthusiastic from talking to two children. He yawned and searched the room for something of interest, and when he did, his eyes lit up.

Sophie gulped. "Um… no, we're-"

"Hey, Justin." The older boy elbowed his counterpart, a smile creeping on his face. "I say we sneak up on Miss Dafina and lift her skirt to expose her pantyhose. That'll get a rise out of these people."

Justin raised his eyebrow. "Aren't you a little old for stuff like that, Ro?"

"Nah, not at all." Ro said, brushing off Justin's response. "If anything, you and Owen here should be the ones causing a riot. I'm next in line for the throne, so if people saw me-"

"Wait, you're the Prince?" Lettie gasped. Ro and Justin glanced at each other, but Sophie and Lettie were glued to the two boys in gold who were now uncovered as the princes of Ingary.

Ro laughed. "You didn't know that when your mom dumped you on us?"

"No." Sophie said, though his use of the word 'dumped' made his opinion of the situation much clearer. "So, you're Prince Rolland and you're Prince Justin?"

Rolland bowed dramatically. "I aim to please the citizens of Ingary as your new king in… well, whenever that happens, I guess."

Justin rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like you're just waiting for father to die."

"I'm not waiting for the old man to kick the boot, I'm just preparing for when it happens."

"Wait, then who are you?" Lettie asked, ignoring their argument. Justin and Rolland stopped their bickering and turned to the third boy, Owen, though his relation to the princes was unknown. Everyone in Ingary knew there were only two princes, and they didn't have cousins or other relatives. Sophie had almost forgotten he was there, in all honesty.

Owen widened his smile and gestured toward the group of high officials. "You see where your wonderful King and Queen stand?"

Lettie and Sophie nodded quickly. He pointed to a woman in a long, green gown, her blonde hair so magnificent and proper. "My mother is the most powerful sorceress in the world. They call her the Royal Sorceress, Madame Suliman."

(—)

Justin. Rolland. Suliman. They all knew they were here. They knew where they were hiding. And Sophie had been completely blind.

"Th-they know… that we're here?"

Gwenda and Kenta lowered their gaze. Sophie took in short breaths, her knees failing to work and almost collapsing to the ground. Gwenda quickly rushed to her side and helped her stand straight, walking her slowly to the armchair. Her thoughts were running wild. They could be at the border or at the capital or even Magnol. Suliman must have somehow predicted this. With her abilities, she could probably sense Sophie's pregnancy and her magic.

"Suliman knew this would happen." Sophie whispered. "She knew it all. She's always one step ahead of us. She knew I'd end up giving in to the marriage and putting Howl in jail and my pregnancy…" Her jaw began to tremble before she could finish her sentence and her sight blurred from the tears. They were in danger. They always had been; she just thought that maybe this one time, they had outsmarted her.

"Hey." Gwenda knelt beside Sophie and held her hand. "She didn't know you would say no at the altar. She didn't know you would skip town and bolt. And she doesn't know how hard we are going to fight this."

Sophie shook her head. "It doesn't matter. We're practically caught as it is. She's probably been planning this war for months. Probably before Howl and I left."

"You don't know that." Gwenda turned to Kenta, but he just shrugged his shoulders. The Witch of the Wastes was no help, either. Gwenda would have been surprised if she was even paying attention. She turned to Calcifer, who had been sitting silently in his fireplace, contemplating this groundbreaking story. She stared at him until he realized and met her gaze, though he was as scared as everyone else seemed to be.

Gwenda breathed in deeply. "Sophie, you need to take in deep breaths. You don't want to frighten the baby."

"I can't…" Sophie whispered. "This is all too much, all these things are just popping into my head and I can't control my own thoughts and-" Out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning sparked from Sophie's fingers, hitting the log next to Calcifer and lighting a fire next to him. He jumped at the sight and leaned farther away from it. When he calmed down, he added the fire to his own.

Kenta, however, widened his eyes. "How did you… do that?"

"You didn't know this could happen?" Gwenda creased her eyebrows at the wizard who should have expected something like to happen.

He blinked his eyes. "I mean… I know it happens, but how did you produce lightning? That's far beyond the skills my mother had during her pregnancy with me."

Sophie shrugged. "It's pretty much all I've been doing, ever since we found out I was pregnant. Most of the time when I'm using magic, something goes wrong and I zap everything."

Kenta pursed his lips. "Well, you learned your source quite early, much earlier than even amateur wizards."

"My source?"

Kenta nodded. "Your source of magic. It is what drives your abilities to do the things they can."

"What's your source?" Sophie asked.

"I'm driven by the natural elements. It's a very common one, actually."

Sophie nodded. "And Howl's?"

Kenta raised his eyebrows. "Um… that's not really for me to say. I'm surprised he hasn't told you." He attempted to stand up once more, this time his strength returning much quicker than before. Gwenda stepped out of the way as he took her place next to Sophie. "I'll teach you a spell for beginning magicians. It will help you learn to channel your source to do the spell you wish to do."

He held his hands out to Sophie, and she gradually placed hers on top. He whispered a few lines and her heart rate slowed down. Her breathing regulated to a normal, calmer speed. She closed her eyes and relaxed her muscles. She felt in control.

"Now." Kenta whispered. "Turn the lamp on."

Sophie opened her eyes and snapped her fingers, the words to the spell naturally speaking in her mind. In a flash, the light turned on.

She widened here eyes. Nothing exploded. Nothing sparked. Her fingers felt the familiar sting, but it felt less sporadic and more centered. She finally felt confident in her abilities.

"How… how did you do that?" Sophie turned to Kenta, his smirk the happiest she had seen him in a while.

"That wasn't me. You used your ability to its highest advantage. Electrokinesis is the ability to control electrical currents. It's not unpopular, but not very common, either. My father's source was electrokinesis, so I learned a few tricks from him."

"So… I can only control things like lamps and power switches?"

Kenta shook his head. "You have the power to do other things, but you need to learn how to use your source in situations where it would normally be a disadvantage." Sophie crinkled her eyebrows together. Kenta sighed heavily. "That may have been confusing. But Howl and I will teach you to the best of our abilities."

Kenta stood up slowly, pushing on the arm of the chair for balance and support. With her due date approaching faster than he would have preferred, there wasn't much time for slow learning. She would have to pick things up faster than most. He was surprised that Howl hadn't taken much time to go through the trials with her, but being in hiding in a land with a unanimous hatred for magic had its disadvantages to a learning human.

"What if I can't control myself and I hurt someone?" Sophie asked as she bit her lip. She didn't have the skills that masters like Howl and Kenta had, and she didn't have the time, either. She loved this gift, even if it was only for a few short months. She wished she had known more and been able to control it sooner, but maybe this time her abilities would improve.

Kenta winked. "That's why you're training with the best."

(—)

It was very risky to come to the fields, even if all the workers had gone home for the night. Howl didn't know if anyone would come back if they had forgotten something or if Thomas checked the fields at night. The sun was setting and Magnol would be preparing for dinner, while the magicians prepared for a lesson.

"It's not that hard, Sophie." Kenta said. He moved his arms like the wind back and forth, repeating a spell meant to change the wind's pattern. "Try it."

Sophie nodded and shook her arms to release the tension building up. She was still in the learning phase, even if she had been practicing with Howl and Kenta nearly every night for the past two weeks. She was definitely gaining more control over her powers, but she hadn't mastered the more difficult spells yet.

Howl and Kenta watched as she swayed her arms like Kenta did, repeating the spell slowly and articulating every syllable. Howl nodded with approval as the wind switched from blowing against his face to nearly pulling him toward Sophie. This spell was common with magicians traveling overseas, but it was a great beginning spell.

"She's doing wonderful." Kenta said.

"As are you." Howl replied. "You look much better than you did two weeks ago."

"All those healing spells. And Sophie's stellar cooking, of course." Howl and Kenta chuckled as they watched her dance with the wind as she controlled its movement. She twirled around, spinning the air in a mini tornado around her. Howl gritted his teeth with worry, but Kenta held him back. "Let her handle it."

Sophie noticed the tornado reaching higher speeds, spinning wildly around her. She appeared frightened, her arms tightening closer to her chest. Sophie turned to Howl and Kenta, both of them nodding. She pushed her arms out and the wind stopped its motion, quickly shifting from rapid to calm. It returned to its regular patterns, blowing against Howl's face.

Howl sighed. "You were right."

"You can trust her with magic. She's actually quite good."

"I know." Howl closed his eyes. "I know."

Kenta turned to him. "I was wondering why she was so far behind in her knowledge of magic to the point where she didn't even know what her own source was. Of all people, I imagined that you would have trained her from the moment you found out about the pregnancy."

Howl opened his eyes, looking slightly downward at Kenta from the corner. Kenta crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows, as if he were reading Howl's mind. Howl sighed and returned his gaze to Sophie, watching her as she rubbed her stomach and spoke softly to the baby. Their baby. Their soon-to-be magical child with powers used for good or evil.

"I know you're scared."

"Wouldn't you be?" Howl said. "The love of my life is pregnant with a child of magic and Suliman has been planning to have our baby since the moment we met."

Howl clenched his teeth, the thought of that woman ruining everything they had poisoning his mind. She was a nuisance; a troublesome being who found pleasure in other's suffering as long as she was content. She may have been powerful, but she was completely and utterly heartless.

Howl took a deep breath. "I don't know if Suliman will get what she wants or if we may somehow be able to evade her again, and then for what? To keep running and hiding? That's not the life I want for this baby."

"Shielding Sophie from learning these abilities will hinder the baby's ability as well. You know that."

Howl turned to Kenta. "I also don't want Suliman to complete this decade-long battle to control every ounce of magic we have in this world."

Kenta creased his eyebrows. "Keeping Sophie from learning magic won't stop the baby from becoming a magician. Even if she never used her powers, that child will still be like you and me."

Howl held fists at his side. "But maybe not as powerful as Suliman is looking for. Maybe she won't come after us if the baby isn't extraordinary."

Kenta frowned. "And you think that's why she wants your child."

Howl shook his head. "I don't want it to be true… but what if our child is more powerful than Suliman, and she knows that already?"

"Then you fight." Kenta said. "You fight like you've never fought before. You can't allow her to think she is in control of everything and everyone. You have to show her that you can outsmart her."

Howl bit his lip. "How can I be a father if I can't protect my family from her?"

Kenta lowered his shoulders. He had seen the devastation Madame Suliman caused. She separated families, forced magicians into a mindless battle, and so many other cruelties. It was no wonder that any magician would be frightened about bringing another power into this world, knowing she would be there to snatch away anything stronger than herself.

"You just can't be afraid." Kenta said.

"Um, Howl?" Howl and Kenta turned to Sophie, her eyes wide as she looked at the sky. "I don't think we're alone."

 **They're not alone? What? Who could it be? I know, I'm so rude when it comes to cliffhangers (hehehehe). I will do better with updating because I feel bad that you have a writer who procrastinates and is busy with school like me. I hope you're still enjoying the story and things will definitely start picking up. And now, here's your random fact!**

 **RANDOM FACT! **

**A Heart in Flames was actually going to be called "Howl's Dark Side." I didn't like the title and it didn't make sense with the story. Also, AHiF sounds so much cooler :)**


	5. How to Master the Art of Magic

**Wow! That has to be my fastest update yet. I am not kidding, I stayed up until 2 last night writing this, I was just in such a writing mood I had to finish. I'm so excited to get this out, too. Things are starting to get complicated for our characters. I'll let you guys read now haha enjoy!**

Too many spells. Too many forms. Too many words to memorize. They ran in circles around his brain until he felt dizzy from straining his mind. He would never be good enough if he couldn't keep up. He already felt farther behind than the others in his class, but he wasn't going to let that stop him from reaching the top.

"And why would we use one of the Elven traditional spells in this case?" Wizard Mogno searched the room for an apprentice to answer, but only the same person who always raised her hand offered to show off. Wizard Mogno rolled his eyes and waved her arm down. She raised her eyebrows, slowly dropping her arm as she watched her classmates shake their heads in annoyance.

Wizard Mogno tapped his hands along the podium, one student catching his eye. He was searching in his textbook for the answer, flipping through pages and skimming lines to find the best answer for this situation. "Kenta Lee, is it?"

Kenta looked up from his book. His hands began to sweat. His mouth dried up like the desert. And he so desperately wanted to make a good impression. "Um, yes Wizard Mogno."

"You are surrounded by an army. Whether they are magicians or not is up to your imagination. However, it is clear that you are outnumbered. There are a few spells from the Elven traditionals that can help you in this situation, but which is the prime solution?"

Kenta swallowed hard. "Um… well, there is the one that grants you invisibility."

Wizard Mogno shook his head. "One of them would find you eventually. An army this large, you wouldn't make it two steps in the opposite direction."

Kenta licked his lips, trying to think of another answer. He knew more about the Celtic spells than anything; if only Wizard Mogno asked him something he knew he could answer. Everyone was staring at him now. Even the pretty girl with the red pigtails, though she humphed and turned around, whispering loudly to her black cat how she knew the answer. A couple classmates in the corner were giggling and whispering, causing Kenta to believe they were talking about him.

"Um…" Kenta was speechless. His voice was lost in the thousands of spells and codes and inscriptions. His mind whirled in a never-ending hurricane from the embarrassment and lack of intelligence he felt in that moment.

"Howl Pendragon." Kenta looked up only to find that Wizard Mogno had moved on. He stood in front of Howl's table, though Howl hardly seemed ready for class. His book wasn't even opened to their chapter, his feet were on the table in his neighbor's space, and he looked about ready for a nap rather than class. "Can you name the Elven traditions I am looking for?"

Wizard Mogno pushed his feet to the ground, Howl slightly disturbed by the change in position. He cleared his throat and searched the ceiling for the answer, snapping his fingers when he had it. "The one where everyone falls asleep."

Everyone in the class laughed softly, though the girl with the red pigtails sighed and groaned. Wizard Mogno turned to the class with a smile. "He is correct." The class fell silent, watching Howl nod his head with triumph. Kenta seethed through his teeth, unable to bear watch that wretched wizard beat him at yet another skill. Their fight had been less than a month earlier, and he had already shown how much more competent he was in magic.

"Explain your reasoning."

Howl sat up straight and folded his hands on the table. "Well, if your enemies are asleep, they can't attack you. Therefore, you can go about your business and when they wake up, you're already gone."

"Excellent." Wizard Mogno nodded approvingly. He turned to Kenta, the young wizard feeling more humiliated than ever. "You could learn a lesson or two from your peer, if you wish to master the art of magic."

Kenta clenched his fists under the table as Wizard Mogno continued with the class. When it was end time, Kenta was the first to leave. He ran down the Palace halls to his floor, the tears begging to flow but Kenta refusing to give in. He only wanted to hide away in his room and pray his roommates wouldn't come back until later. He hated being away from home. He hated not knowing the answers. He hated Howl Pendragon.

"Hey." Kenta felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around. He breathed heavily at the sight of Howl. "You want to get dinner or something? I heard the cooks were planning something special for tonight."

"No." Kenta replied. He walked forward, only to find Howl floating next to him and land right in his path. "I said no."

Howl crossed his arms. "And I won't accept that."

"Well, deal with it."

"Dude, why can't we be friends?"

Kenta laughed sarcastically. "You want to be _my_ friend? Good one."

"But I really do."

"What's your problem?" Kenta said. "Isn't it enough that you showed me up to everyone on the first day, and then just now in class?"

Howl shrugged. "I didn't mean to do that. Mogno wanted the answer and I guessed."

Kenta raised his eyebrows. "You _guessed_?"

Howl nodded. "It seemed good enough. And I didn't really care if I was wrong."

"Well, maybe to you it doesn't matter why you're here, but for me…" Kenta closed his eyes, thinking of all the sacrifices his parents and grandmother made to send him to Suliman's apprenticeship. All the days training with his father and grandmother, working up the courage to audition before the Royal Sorceress herself - only to be humiliated by someone who guesses in class.

Kenta walked passed him, pushing his shoulder on the way. "Just leave me alone."

(—)

Sophie was right - they were not alone. Three magicians soared in the night sky, dark clouds rumbling in the distance. One witch sat on her broomstick while the two wizards floated on either side of her. Howl and Kenta stood in front of Sophie, protecting her at all costs. They were very familiar with these three, to say the least.

The witch descended slowly toward them, her red pigtails swaying in the wind. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Howl Pendragon and Kenta… what was your last name again?" She laughed with her high-pitched voice that made Kenta cringe. He couldn't believe he had a crush on her during their apprenticeship. Her voice was annoying even then.

"Nice to see you as well, Noe." Kenta growled. She smirked and landed on the ground, holding her broomstick upright. She traded her violet dress in for a pitch black one. It wasn't as appealing as Noe probably thought it looked. The two wizards landed hard on the ground next to her. Nade was tall and bulky, his brute as strong as his magic. Xarx was a similar height to Noe, though Kenta never saw him as a real challenge. Their eerie smiles reminded Howl and Kenta of their younger years together, and not the better of their memories.

Nade ran his fingers through his greasy black hair. "Wow, I never thought I'd see you two working together. Howl, weren't you always the one who made Kenta look like a complete dope in school?"

Howl clenched his fingers. "We've matured. Something I obviously cannot say about you three."

"Oh, now that's hurtful." Nade said. "We had some good times back in apprenticeship, though. Remember?"

"I'll still never work for Suliman again, if that's what you're getting at." Howl snapped.

Nade turned to Noe and shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

Noe nudged Nade's arm. "We're not here to bring him to our side, you moron."

"What do they want, then?" Sophie whispered to Howl, his arms still blocking her from their sight. Sophie could hardly see passed her bodyguards, though she was intently listening to their conversation.

She felt a hand creep behind her and wrap around her stomach. "We want your baby."

Sophie jolted around, Howl being the first to push Noe away with a large gust. She blew away until she gained control of her broomstick. Noe snickered in her high-pitched voice. "If you won't come willingly, we'll just have to take you by force."

Nade and Xarx positioned for attack, as did Howl and Kenta. Noe floated in the air, everyone waiting for the right moment to strike. Sophie darted her eyes between her protectors and her enemies. She was too weak to fight them with her amount of practice, but Howl and Kenta couldn't fight against three, even with their skills. They were outnumbered.

The clouds rolled above them, darkening the sky further. A low rumble sounded across the sky, signaling the start of battle.

Nade and Xarx lunged forward, both repeating a spell Kenta knew all too well - earthquake. The ground began to shake and crack open. Kenta dropped to a runner's lunge, filling in the cracks faster than they broke apart. Nade made it to the two faster and aimed for Howl first. He dodged naturally and slid underneath Nade, extending his foot until the troublesome wizard fell to the ground. Kenta secured him to the ground by hardening rock around his wrists ankles. He enjoyed watching Nade struggle.

Sparks of fire shot from the sky, nearly hitting Howl. He turned to Noe up in the sky, her wand bolting shots of fire like bullets. Howl lifted into the air and dove straight for her, though she flew around him in circles. Howl couldn't tell where she was. He stayed in the center, trying to catch up with her infinite speeding, though she was much quicker. When he thought he caught up to her, she appeared on the side and blasted him with fire.

Howl groaned in pain, repeating a spell to stop the fire from spreading around his shirt. He felt an open area on his back, a charred circle surrounding the burned area. "You can't have her."

Noe floated on her broomstick, very relaxed. "Suliman also said that if her very cute boyfriend somehow died in the process, it wouldn't be an issue."

As Howl continued to fall for Noe's tricks, Kenta dealt with Xarx. Though he was far behind Nade, he finally caught up and didn't waste any time with multiple spells left and right. Kenta found them easy to dodge and evade, slowly working his way up to Xarx and restricting his wrists. Xarx tried fighting back, but Kenta was a strong match.

Xarx grunted as his muscles shook. "Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Kenta breathed a laugh. "You were always weak, Xarx."

Sophie clamped her hands over mouth, watching the battle ensue. Howl and Kenta were both matched quite evenly, though their previous trouble had finally freed himself from Kenta's temporary restraint. Nade's eyes were glued to Sophie's, his maniacal smile frightening to watch. He pulled out his wand and took large steps toward her. Sophie step backwards, raising her arms in defense. She felt so weak, so miniscule. So powerless.

The storm clouds rumbled louder and Sophie stopped. She turned to her hands; her beautiful, powerful hands.

Before Nade could take another step closer, she whipped her arms forward and struck him with a quick bolt of lightning. He fell to the ground instantly, Sophie gasping in shock. Her fingers vibrated from the extent of the attack, feeling more in control than she had ever felt before. She was able to bring a wizard to the ground.

Nade took a second to jump back to a standing position. He wiped his mouth clean of the blood stain and clenched his teeth. Sophie turned to the storm clouds that revolved around her, sensing her core strength. Sophie held her hands open, electricity generating within her own self and emitting through her fingertips.

Nade bobbed his head back, surprised by this human's abilities. Noe and Howl floated in the sky, watching the clouds obey Sophie and her commands. Noe ignored Howl and dove straight for Sophie.

"No, Sophie!" Howl tried to catch up, but Sophie was already preparing for her next attack. She noticed the witch closing in and commanded the sky to strike down on her. A bolt of lightning carved the sky and knocked Noe off of her broomstick, sending her tumbling onto the ground unconscious. Nade immediately rushed to her side, smacking her face to help her regain consciousness. Kenta held Xarx on the ground, attempting the same spell he performed on Nade earlier. Xarx melted into the ground and appeared behind Kenta, kicking him to the ground without warning.

When Noe awoke, Nade helped her to her broomstick. He and Xarx flew into the sky behind her, the three of them turning around to the unlikely victors. She seethed through her teeth. "Enjoy your freedom while it lasts. Suliman won't give up on getting that child."

Howl stood close to Sophie, staring at the three until they flew away. Kenta stood up and dusted the dirt from his pants. Sophie exhaled a heavy breath, one hand reaching across her stomach to secure the baby. Her knees were weak and Howl embrace her, keeping her grounded. Her breathing was shaky and unnerving.

"Who are they?" Sophie asked.

Howl sighed. "We all trained in Suliman's apprenticeship. They're the few who offered to work for her rather than be forced to."

"I always expected something like this from Nade and Noe." Kenta said. "Xarx is just following them, like he always did. He probably doesn't even know what he's getting himself into."

"They willingly work for that woman?" Sophie said, her eyes wide. Kenta and Howl nodded. Sophie couldn't believe that anyone would offer their services to Suliman without a catch or bargain.

"We're safe now." Howl said, tightening his grip on Sophie. "I won't let them hurt you."

" _You_ won't let them hurt her?" Kenta said, a light laugh creeping up. "She's the reason they fled in the first place. I saw Nade's face, he was terrified."

Sophie blushed slightly. "You told me I needed to channel my source and use it to my highest advantage."

Kenta smiled. "A lightning storm is your new best friend. You can do anything at the heart of a storm."

A light trickle of rain fell from the sky, increasing in speed by the second until it became a full downpour. Howl shielded Sophie by creating an invisible barrier between her and the rain. They unanimously started walking back to town, hoping to make it home without a cold.

Sophie shivered next to Howl, watching the determined look on his face. She felt so thankful to have had him and Kenta with her. She wouldn't have been able to handle Suliman's henchmen alone. Her training was hardly at an amateur level, and a beginning magician against three masters would have been a short battle.

The idea that some magicians consciously followed Suliman still shocked her. From the beginning, Suliman only trained them so she could use their abilities for future warfare. They had no mind of their own. Sophie assumed that if they willingly obeyed her, she gave them that small freedom of not being brainwashed to do her dirty work.

Magnol wasn't far, but with the dark rain, it made the small town seem like a distant dream. The fields were larger than the mass of the town, making them a prime farming town.

Sophie frowned. There couldn't have been more than two thousand residents. The capital was miles away. It would take at least four hours by train to get there. Magnol was too far to be a spot for an attack.

Sophie widened her eyes. _How did they know where they were?_

"Howl." Sophie stopped in her tracks. Howl and Kenta turned around, but their attention was diverted by the screams not too far away. Shadows flying in the air dove for the small town of Magnol. Light bursted from casted spells and the cries of their friends and neighbors sent chills down their spines. Homes burst into flames while the thunder roared from above, drowning out the chilling screams from below.

In a town where magic was hated - forbidden - came the worst attack Ovela had seen in over a century.

 **Sophie's gotten better at her powers, hasn't she? But what will they do about the oncoming attacks to their home? I hope you guys liked the battle, let me know what you thought in the comments. I usually struggle writing fight scenes so it'd be great to have some constructive criticism. Thanks for reading and I'll get the next chapter out ASAP!**

 **RANDOM FACT: I** **modeled Noe after the witch in the beginning of Kiki's Delivery Service. I was going off of the idea that during her year of training, she went to Suliman's academy. After returning home, she really wanted to impress Madame Suliman so she went back and stayed. Also, this won't be the last time we see Noe, Nade, and Xarx ;)**


	6. The End is a New Beginning

**Hello wonderful readers and writers of the fanfiction world! I come bearing gifts... well, a chapter if that counts. And another Random Fact when the chapter is complete. I've been super stressed with school and family stuff recently that this chapter just seemed like an uphill battle (haha quoting Miley Cyrus). I hope you guys enjoy it along with the super cool awesome ending I have! (My judgment is biased, I think it's awesome). Okay, I'll shut up and let you read. Enjoy!**

Dreams were better than reality. Dreams took you to unimaginable places and made the surreal seem attainable. You controlled what happened; you were the determiner. You could do anything and everything. But most of all, they turned reality into a nightmare.

Sophie sat at one of the round tables meant for the guests, though very few were seated. Most were still dancing to the orchestra, including Lettie and a few of the younger girls who arrived later in the evening. Sophie and Lettie were relieved when they saw girls their age to talk to. Sophie couldn't speak for her sister, but she felt so uncomfortable around the Princes and Owen; their age difference, their snarky comments, and especially their high positions.

Sophie had never seen the Royal Family before; not in person nor pictures. She didn't even know why they were invited to their ball.

Honey and Ellis stood next to a couple dressed in exquisite attire. The man's tie alone had blue diamonds crested along the edges. His partner's blue gown shone in the light, the color so dark it reminded Sophie of the night sky. While most people wore something highly expensive and sophisticated, it seemed obvious that Sophie's parents weren't of high class. Honey's yellow gown was a piece she had worn since before she met Sophie's father. She had sown flowers and beads from the hat shop to alter the look, hoping to appear more extravagant and wealthy than they actually were.

Sophie never minded their financial situation. Her parents were able to put them through school, pay their rent, and make a decent profit from the hat shop. While the guests tonight wouldn't dream of making sacrifices to keep life sustainable, Sophie enjoyed their type of living. It was comfortable.

A woman approached Honey and Ellis, her stunning green gown accentuating her curvy figure. She was gorgeous; her golden hair lay perfectly on her shoulders, her back straightened to a poised stance, and her visage highly proper. Honey had prepared Sophie and Lettie to appear this way when at the ball. She engrained the proper positions and stances to ensure that they conformed to the wealthy.

"Good evening." The woman said. "I hope you are enjoying the ball."

Honey smiled wide. "Yes, thank you. It is truly a lovely gathering."

Sophie stood up and walked closer to them, hiding behind a group of elites much taller than she was. The woman was familiar. She was Owen's mother, one of the boys Honey forced them to converse with. She was, in his words, the most powerful sorceress in the land of Ingary.

"This is my husband, Ellis, and our daughter-"

"Martha, yes. I know very well of your family, Ellis Hatter." She smiled. "I am Madame Suliman, the Royal Sorceress and founder of the Royal Academy for Apprenticing Magicians. I also know that you have two other daughters, Sophie and Lettie."

Ellis held Martha tightly and nodded. "Yes, they are my elder daughters. Sophie and Lettie are from my first marriage."

"I noticed them talking to my son and the Princes." Madame Suliman turned to the three boys standing in the corner, Rolland causing a ruckus as usual. "My son is wearing the traditional attire of the Mongurus, a nation of magicians who train their magic to accommodate to the rainforest for survival. Owen recently spent a month living and learning from their prestigious masters."

Honey gasped. "My, that is certainly an amazing experience."

Madame Suliman nodded. "He will become a great magician, but with that he will need someone to carry his legacy."

"Where are you getting at with this?" Ellis asked sternly. Sophie leaned in closer, their voices slightly muffled from the conversations around her.

Madame Suliman turned to him. "Has anyone yet courted your daughter, Sophie? I noticed she and Owen were getting along quite well earlier, and come the right time, I think it would-"

"You want Sophie to marry Owen?" Honey widened her eyes, the thought of marrying her daughter to a powerful wizard so tempting.

"Why our daughter?" Ellis asked. "There are many elite and officials here with daughters who would continue your family legacy. Why ours?"

"Darling, don't ask such a question." Honey snapped. She returned her smile to Madame Suliman. "I'm sure she has perfectly fair reasons for finding Sophie to be the best fit."

"Your daughter would receive the finest living arrangements in the Kingsbury Palace and she will ask for nothing. By her eighteenth birthday, we should begin arrangements for marriage. If you agree to this arrangement, of course."

Honey whispered something into Ellis' ear. He bit his lip and nodded in agreement, though the pain on his face was unbearable to Sophie as she watched from afar. Her parents were already thinking years into the future, her future. They were planning her wedding down to the person she would say 'I do' to. She was to be married to someone she had only met moments earlier. Owen, the prestige wizard Madame Suliman raved over. Owen, the boy nearly twice her age. Owen, her future husband.

Honey clapped rapidly, a wide smile on her face. "We would be honored."

(—)

Sophie held her stomach as they ran toward the destruction. It was difficult to keep up with Howl and Kenta, especially with her heavy pregnancy. Howl slowed down and reached his hand out for her, but she only pressed them to keep going. She would rather them stop the battle than waste time helping her.

Sophie held back tears as they heard multiple cries for help from afar. Fires appear from nothing. Magicians flew in from all directions. No, not magicians. Monsters. They had become the monsters Suliman trained them to be.

Sophie didn't know how Magnol would come back from this. Most, if not all, had never seen magic before. Some believed Ovela would never see magic like this ever again.

Sophie bit her lip. Because of them, now they had.

"If we work together I think we can stop them." Kenta said. "They have numbers, but we can outsmart them."

"Sophie, do you think you can start a storm like you did before?" Sophie looked up to Howl. He gripped her hand tightly. He needed her.

"I… I don't know." Sophie's breaths were short. "I was angry then, that's why I think it happened. Right now, I'm just devastated."

"We believe in you, Sophie." Howl held her shoulders. "We need-"

"Howl, Sophie! Watch out!" Howl shielded Sophie as Kenta used a gust attack to send the monsters flying toward them back in the direction they came. Sophie and Howl panted loudly. Kenta kept his guard up, narrowing his eyes to the sky for anymore attackers. He dropped his shoulders at the sight of a swarm coming their way.

The sound of wings vibrating and shrieks crying out was extremely disturbing to Sophie's ears. Some were still in their monstrous forms that Suliman transformed them into, others were leading the pack in their human forms. The clouds were blocked by the swarms headed for Magnol.

"Um, Kenta?" Sophie gulped. "What was that about outsmarting their numbers?"

"There must be thousands." Howl whispered.

"That's impossible." Kenta shook his head. "How could she have brainwashed so many? That's nearly every magician in Ingary and the surrounding areas."

"Her magic is strong, and she likes to show people the measure of that strength." Howl seethed. They continued down the dirt road until it transitioned into stone. Howl pushed Sophie along as they rushed to the center of town. The water fountain was filled with black ash; the main buildings filled with fire; the courthouse falling to the ground and spilling debris on the beautiful stone street. People ran in all directions, some with a suitcase or two fleeing in cars or to the train station. Magnol wouldn't exist after today.

"Howl, they're destroying everything." Sophie turned to him, but Howl was more concerned with the royal carriage moving in their direction. Howl enacted an invisibility spell on them, similar to the one he and Markl used in the train as they fled Ingary. Sophie gasped as she realized the spell was used for the same person.

The driver opened the door, two royal subjects departing from the small compartment. The first wore a tacky crown and green military uniform. His red mustache was so obnoxious and flamboyant anyone could see he was King Rolland of Ingary. His counterpart departed after him - Prince Justin.

It had been so long since Sophie laid eyes on him. She never thought he would discover their hiding place, yet there he was in plain sight. His eyes filled with wonder as he stared at the mass destruction around them.

"You see, brother?" Rolland said, lightly hitting his arm. "War can be so sweet, especially when you're winning."

Justin nodded in agreement. He darted his eyes between the running civilians and their army flying above. Sophie had never seen him so content.

She shook her head - wrong. The last time he wore that look on his face was watching her walk down the aisle.

Sophie couldn't remember the Justin she befriended, the Justin who was so happy and optimistic about everything. He returned home to stop the war; now, he was aiding the next. She knew this wasn't just about marrying her anymore - if it ever really was about marrying her. Justin and Rolland and Suliman had been planning this for a long time. This was about power.

"Let's go." Howl said. They disappeared into the shadows of the alleyways. Their window of opportunity had departed. Magnol was far from recovery. If they attempted to fight back now, they would also perish.

Sophie turned to Howl. His eyes were drooped and defeated, like he thought they had a chance.

Howl and Sophie knew every path and every shortcut to get to their neighborhood. The buildings gradually decreased in size and numbers, a clear indication that they were close. Kenta followed close behind, having little knowledge of direction in Magnol.

After a few quick turns and close calls, the little cottage was in sight. As was Donna's and Thomas', and they weren't alone.

"Thomas!"

"Stay away from us, you disgusting creatures!" Sophie stopped in awe as she watched Thomas wave a broomstick at a trio of deformed creatures attempting to attack their home. Donna stood a few steps behind him, tears falling like raindrops. One of the monsters flew around him, preparing an attack on Donna.

"No!" In an instant, Howl's hand grew dark feathers as he harnessed his inner strength to render the monster powerless. The monster jolted as if his body had been possessed. He convulsed repeatedly until falling to the ground unconscious. Donna cupped her mouth in fear - fear of all the wizards present.

"Donna, are you hurt?" Sophie took a couple steps forward, but Donna stumbled back to the front door, begging Sophie not to come any closer. Sophie froze as she watched her dear friend stare at her like she was one of them.

Thomas continually thrashed the broomstick at the remaining two, unaware of the events behind him. Kenta waved his hands in a rotating motion, causing a minuscule tornado aimed at the monters. They were caught in the gust and pushed into the sky away from the old couple.

Thomas bobbed his head back, slowly dropping the broomstick to the ground. He turned to the neighbors he thought he knew, whom he trusted. Howl stood tall, though the disgrace on Thomas' face was a clear answer.

"Donna, Thomas-" They hurried inside and slammed the door, the click of the lock sending shivers down Sophie's spine. They perceived them the same way they perceived Suliman's army. Sophie wanted to beg Donna to see the difference, to realize that not all magicians were evil and used their powers for selfish reasons.

But she had her beliefs, and not even Sophie could change them.

"They're coming back." Kenta held Sophie's shoulder. "We have to go." They ran for the cottage, a swarm flying in a ring above their home. Sophie swallowed hard, watching and waiting for them to do their bidding.

Howl pushed against the door, but it didn't budge. He slammed into it with his body, but nothing changed. He touched his index fingers and middle fingers together and separated them, the lock on the inside clicking open. He pushed the door open and they flooded in.

Gwenda sat crouched behind the armchair screaming until her vocal chords strained. Markl and Heen stood strong, wand in hand for the young apprentice. He smiled when he saw his master, but Calcifer turned offensive the second he heard the door open.

A ball of fire spun in their direction, Kenta moving quickly to defuse the heat bomb. Calcifer attempted another, but held his fire once he recognized the intruders. Howl held Sophie close to him, gritting his teeth at the fire demon. "Calcifer!"

"Howl." Calcifer widened his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I thought you were the others. They're all over town, terrorizing everyone!"

Howl breathed heavily for a moment, but gradually calmed his mind and sighed. "Thank you for protecting our home, Calcifer."

Kenta locked the door as Howl led Sophie to the couch. Gwenda slowly peered her head above the armchair, still awry from the events she'd seen outside. Markl's first instinct was to embrace Sophie. She held him close, his arms never loosening their grip.

Kenta closed the drapes and moved next to Howl. "We need to get out of here."

"Where to?" Howl said, tapping his foot. "We can't go to Ingary, Suliman will know instantly. And with this war, eventually Rolland and Justin will find us if we stay in Ovela."

Sophie couldn't think of anywhere else. They had no allies outside of their intimate group. Her mother would reject her the minute she saw her pregnant, let alone with a wizard. Donna and Thomas had rejected them after their revelation, leaving them desperate.

"What about your castle?" Howl darted his eyes to Kenta, his option startling. "We saw him while visiting my cottage, walking through the Wastes."

"Howl, I thought you said you destroyed the castle." Sophie said.

"I never said destroyed." Howl raised his shoulders. "I said he was gone. I placed a spell for him to wander through the Wastes, hoping Suliman would chase that instead of us."

Howl shook his head. It was risky going back to the Wastes. Suliman couldn't control the atmosphere of the Wastes, but she could definitely predict that they would retreat to his castle.

Kenta sighed a heavy weight. "It's our only option."

Howl continued tapping his foot. "We can't stay long. Suliman may have placed her own spells in the chance that we would return."

Gwenda crossed her arms. "It's better than being captured by her army of brainwashed lackeys."

Howl turned to Calcifer, looking for his opinion. He hesitated to answer, but eventually shook his head in agreement. It would be different from moving, since Calcifer separated from Howl and the castle. Howl would need to create a portal to transport their party rather than a simple scenery change.

Howl and Kenta stood arms' length away from each other, murmuring a transportation spell. Gwenda went to the Witch's room and brought her to the group, sitting her next to Sophie. She clapped her hands with excitement. "Oh, are we going on a trip?"

Markl turned out the lamps to make the home appear empty, their only source of light emitting from Calcifer's flames. The young apprentice watched Howl and Kenta enact the portal. He had never created anything of that magnitude, Howl saying he wasn't ready for such a heavy spell. He listened closely to their words and their actions, taking in every piece of information he could.

Calcifer took short breaths, hoping no one noticed his fear. He was planted in the fireplace, only able to move with certain limitations. He could transport through his own medium in the chance that their plan took a different turn. He would be safe, but he didn't know how his friends would fair.

Sophie ran her fingers down Heen's back, his trembling body adding to her panic. Tonight was too similar to the night they bombed her home. She knew it would take months, if not years, for Ovela to recover from these attacks; Ingary was still recovering from the aftermath. But there was nothing they could do to make things better.

The windows began to shake. Markl crouched closer to Sophie and she held onto him, her motherly instincts already kicking in. Heen wheezed softly. Howl and Kenta stayed focused on the task, though their words seemed to move quicker from their lips. Their panic heightened as the rustling grew louder and no one could stop the breaking of glass or screeching of monsters as they flooded in like dozens of vultures waiting for the kill.

Sophie shielded Markl and Heen from the flying glass, a quick yelp escaping her lips from a shard slicing the side of her cheek. She touched the warm blood, trembling from the sight.

Howl and Kenta paused momentarily as their attackers surrounded them, walking cleanly over the broken glass on the floor. Their wings vibrated in a multitude of faintness, too many to focus on in too many directions. Their beady eyes were blank, emotionless. They were void of any real thought.

Though they were clearly outnumbered, they were determined not to let anyone stop them or get in their way.

Gwenda immediately grabbed the nearest weapon she could - the fire iron. She pointed its sharp curve at the wizards who approached her. They landed with a loud thud, hissing and drawing their claws. Her shoulders shook as she held the fire iron in defense, though her mind kept repeating that this might very well be the end.

One of the monsters jumped toward Gwenda and she retreated out in fear, pushing herself further into the corner. Another slashed her arm with its claws, sending Gwenda to the ground with a loud cry. She dropped her weapon, the hard metal clanging to the ground. She held her open wounds, putting pressure on the spilling blood that stained her arm.

Calcifer immediately turned to her as she fell, watching her kneel helpless at the feet of her attackers. She was vulnerable; he couldn't let this happen. He couldn't watch them rip her apart.

"No!" Calcifer exploded with bursts of fire, pushing himself higher from the fireplace. He grew larger and larger in size until his fiery muscles encompassed his cement home.

"Calcifer!" Sophie gasped as he grabbed two of the monsters and sent flames inside of them, their high-pitched screams drowning the room. He threw them across the floor and turned to the remaining monsters, his eyes burning with an anger and rage like no one had seen before. The monsters didn't back down, but neither did Calcifer.

Kenta added to his fire, producing more flames to strengthen his power. Howl continued with the transportation spell, immediately drawing Kenta back to their escape plan. Gwenda raised her head, her braid nearly nonexistent from the turmoil. She widened her eyes at the fire demon breathing flames at their enemies, protecting them from these monsters. She had never seen him wield so much power.

Markl stood in front of Sophie and the Witch in a protective mode, his wand in hand ready for action.

"Oh, this is exciting." The Witch said, her eyes gleaming at the battle ensuing. Sophie begged Markl to step down, the young apprentice only obeying when she forcibly removed him from the scene. She held the boy and the wheezing dog in her arms, keeping them safe behind the furniture. Most of the monsters had fled the scene, but the few that remained were locked in Calcifer's grip, struggling to break free.

"We got it!" A black and blue portal opened in the ground between the two wizards, both separating to make room for their transportation. Calcifer removed the remaining monsters, watching as they flew out of through the broken windows, attempting to blow out the fire on their wings. He returned to his normal form, his breaths heavy and loud. He darted his eyes to each person who stared at him, their eyes a mixture of fear and confusion.

Gwenda stared at him, her mouth agape. He lowered his gaze and shrugged. "What's the big deal?"

"It's just…" Gwenda couldn't find the words. She was so mesmerized by his power; before tonight, she had actually forgotten that he had magic.

"No time to question things." Howl grabbed the small shovel and held it to the fire demon. "Calcifer, climb on."

Calcifer did as he said and they rushed to the portal. Markl helped the Witch walk, who had watched the battle from afar with wonder and excitement. Sophie grabbed Kenta's arm as he lifted her from the ground, her other arm still wrapped around Heen before he jumped out and followed them to the portal. Kenta glanced at Gwenda, her hand still covering the part of her arm that the monster slashed. He raised his eyebrows, but she shook her head and joined the others.

They took one final glance at the turmoil outside, the citizens of Magnol running and screaming and hiding. Howl shut his eyes tightly, the sight too familiar to the last war. He couldn't imagine how a King would allow such devastation to happen simply for the joy of watching a war.

"Let's go." Howl and Calcifer were the first to fall into the labyrinth of dark colors. Sophie's screams echoed through the seemingly endless hole, however their fall only lasted a few seconds before they landed safely on a hard wooden floor.

Sophie counted everyone she saw, making sure they had all crossed over. The screams were gone; the destruction was nonexistent. They were safe.

Sophie stood up slowly, holding onto her knees for support. She sniffed repeatedly, surprised at the lack of dust entering her lungs. Everyone looked around as if Howl's castle shouldn't have appeared as well-organized as it was.

Sophie turned to the empty fireplace as Howl cautiously placed Calcifer in his old position. Two logs were already in place for him. Howl ran his index finger along the concrete, bringing it close to his face.

Howl narrowed his eyes. "Not even a fleck of dust."

A light turned on from behind them and all eyes darted to the source, their defenses raised instantly. A young girl with long, black hair sat cross-legged in a wooden chair, her childish smile so foreign to Sophie. The girl tilted her head to the side, her eyes locked to Sophie's. "Hey, older sis. How've you been?"

 **Whaaat?! Such a plot twist! I was so excited to bring in our newest character, and I remember getting at least one review in Thorns saying how Martha was left out (thank you for your review, Princess Hephzi of Arendale, I hope you enjoyed seeing Martha finally appear!). I am doing my best to upload these chapters as often as possible, but with school it's just going to take a bit longer. I don't want to deprive you of a decent chapter by just winging it and not editing before I publish. That's not fair to you as a reader, you deserve the best that any author can give. If you'll be patient with my I promise I will (try) not to disappoint! :D :D :D :D**

 **RANDOM FACT:** **Ovela, the country neighboring Ingary, is 'Love' is Pig Latin without the 'y' at the end. For the accurate Pig Latin name, it would be Ovelay.**


	7. Visions

**And the next chapter is finally here! 2,700 words EXACTLY! They may count symbols like (-) but I saw the number and got a little excited :) Also, we get to see our newest character unfold! I get so excited writing these chapters, these characters are so fun to write. I'll stop talking now, hehehe. Enjoy!**

He didn't dream often, nor were they as hazy and muddled, but this was a rare occasion. His dreams were hardly normal, either. Maybe it was the way she screamed or the way he cried for mercy, but everything seemed far from normal.

The sound resonated like an echo repeating for miles with no end. Her voice was a sharp-edged sword piercing through a quiet night. It was painful to hear, painful to see. This innocent girl, this soft beauty, desperate for a remedy to end her torture. The sound of terrifying cries as she wept in agony was too much to bear.

He lay on the floor, pleading for mercy, begging for an end. His own torture mixed with hers was enough to fracture him, to leave him vulnerable. This scene of a million broken pieces continued to shatter and snap until those little pieces had grown smaller than imaginable.

The multitude of cries molded into an innocent laughter, consciousness taking over once more. The sleeping dog heard a loud thud, immediately opening his eyes with panic. He recognized the lively room with the talking fire and energetic boy. He darted his eyes between the two, trying to remain calm. He remembered his dream, and recognized many of those faces, as well.

"You're going to break something if you keep jumping like that." Calcifer said after he released an irritated sigh.

"No I won't." Markl prepared to jump once more.

"Yes, you will."

"No I won't."

Heen wheezed short breaths, the bickering between the two hardly anything he was concerned with. He had never seen a dream like that. The faces were familiar, their pain in the dream as real as they were.

But this was no ordinary dream - it was a vision.

(—)

"Oh my…" Sophie couldn't form the words she wanted to say after not seeing her baby sister in nearly five years.

She wasn't the little girl who cried as their mother forced her onto the train to Wessex Boarding School. Martha sat tall and poised, though her childish features appeared through her cross-legged seating and tilt of her head. Her long, black hair flowed like a dark rain to her lower back. Her smile, though content, was timid and concealed her teeth. Sophie always loved how Martha would try and fit every last tooth into her smile. Her sister had changed over the years.

Martha uncrossed her legs and jumped off the chair. "I missed you."

"I can't believe you're here." Sophie extended her arms and Martha tiptoed into her embrace, careful not to push against her stomach. Sophie sniffled as she wrapped her arms tighter around Martha.

"Sophie." Howl said softly. "You know this girl?"

The girls turned to the crowd watching the sisters' reunion. Heen rushed to the pair and sniffed Martha's ankles. Markl held the Witch's hand as her attention turned to Calcifer in the fire pit, amazed yet again at his brilliant flames. Gwenda looked confused. Kenta creased his eyebrows, his eyes staring at Martha for quite some time.

Sophie nodded. "This is Martha, my little sister."

"The littlest of the little." Martha said with a bow.

Gwenda coughed loudly. "I'm sorry, what? You have another sister?"

Sophie nodded. Howl raised her eyebrows and turned to Martha. "Wow. Um… it's so nice to meet someone from Sophie's family."

"I'm sure you are, Wizard Howl Pendragon." Martha crossed her arms. "Our family has never really been a fan of magic, but I'm a little more lenient toward magicians."

Kenta nodded. "I can tell, being as you are one yourself."

Sophie darted to her sister. Martha lowered her gaze and tucked her hair behind her ear. She slowly moved her eyes up to Sophie, her sister's shocked visage nothing short of what she had expected.

"You… you're a…" Sophie stuttered her words as they once again failed to come out.

Martha waved her hand in Calcifer's direction. One of the logs sitting next to him levitated and wobbled gently to his fire. Calcifer extended his flames to the new addition, nodded with gratitude toward Martha.

She smiled. "Yes, I'm a witch. And I assume you have a lot of questions."

"Well… yes, actually." Sophie pulled a chair from the table and sat down, Martha returning to her original seat while the others followed in suit. Howl, Kenta, and Gwenda joined the sisters at the dining table while Markl helped the Witch to a more comfortable seat on the couch. Markl pointed to each of the lamps in the room and they sparked with a low light, clarifying the features of the castle. It was magnificent how familiar everything looked. The castle had remained in the same state as it was before they moved. Same furniture, same layout, everything they had left behind during their rushed escape to Ovela.

Martha crossed her legs again and gestured to the table. "Ask away."

Sophie cleared her throat. "For one, I thought you were still in boarding school."

Martha snorted at that, leaning her arm on the back of the chair. "Please, don't remind me of that dreadful place. Mother just wanted me to marry rich or royalty. It was terrible; all the other students were snotty and stuck up. I probably stayed for two months before booking it."

Sophie widened her eyes. "You left that long ago?"

Martha nodded. "But I wasn't alone. I found Mrs. Fairfax."

"Mrs. Fairfax?"

"She trained me in the ways of magic and witchcraft. She was an excellent teacher."

"I've heard of her." Howl said. "She likes to keep to herself, but every once in a while she'll take on an apprentice or two."

"I was her last." Martha bowed her head. "I trained with her for about three years before she was summoned to the Palace by Madame Suliman. I waited for her, but after some time I was too frightened to discover what had become of her."

Sophie gently placed her hand over Martha's, her sniffles reminding her of all the loss they have felt since this ordeal began. "Where did you go then?"

Martha shook her head and blinked rapidly before continuing. "I travelled through the Wastes for about a year meeting all kinds of witches and wizards. Some were nice and taught me new spells and potions, but others were cruel. I never expected so many to be like Madame Suliman."

"You'd be surprised." Kenta growled.

"Anyway, I somehow survived on my own. It wasn't until a few months prior that I found Howl's castle."

"So you just decided to make yourself at home, huh then?" Howl remarked, his tone playful and sarcastic.

Martha giggled softly. "I hope you didn't mind my intrusion, but I knew you would be okay with this."

"Oh really?" Howl asked. "And how's that?"

Martha tapped her middle finger to the side of her skull, right above her ear. Her smiled creeped wider as Howl's eyes deepened. Kenta raised his eyebrows in shock as well.

Kenta turned to Howl. "She can't be serious."

Howl stared into Martha's eyes. "She is."

"A Seer?" Kenta said. "There are only a handful of people who can actually do that through their own skill."

Gwenda rubbed her temple. "I am so lost."

"As am I." Sophie turned to Martha. "A Seer?"

"My magical source is through premonition." Martha said, her voice stolid and still. "I receive visions of the future."

Sophie dropped her shoulders. "Really?"

Martha laughed. "Yes, really. That's how I knew to come here; I received one that showed me you would return to Howl's castle."

"You received this months ago?"

Martha nodded. "I have seen premonitions from events that will happen a hundred years from now. Not that those matter right now, but the world will see some interesting things come about."

"What else have you seen?" Sophie asked, her body naturally leaning closer to the table. She was amazed by her sister's ability and the temptation to learn more grew immensely.

Martha tilted her head. "Curiosity is a dangerous thing to have, Sophie."

Howl rested a hand on Sophie's shoulder. "There's a reason why magicians like Kenta and I don't have an ability like this. Only certain people are responsible for seeing future events."

Sophie lowered her gaze. This was something new; she couldn't think of another magician with this power. She was still getting comfortable with the fact that her baby sister was a magician herself. If only Lettie could see this.

"Lettie." Sophie whispered. Gwenda tensed at the sound of her name, the name that still haunted her nightmares. Howl cleared his throat. Hearing Lettie's name brought some painful memories back from the grave. He never met her, but he knew how devastated Sophie was after discovering her untimely death.

Sophie lifted teary eyes to Martha, but the girl sat in solemn. "I know. I saw."

Sophie bobbed her head. "You… you saw? You were there?"

"I received a vision." Martha said, her voice struggling to stay strong. "It was only a few days before it happened, but there was nothing I could do about it."

"You didn't try to stop it?"

"Sophie, knowing these events doesn't give me the power to stop them."

Sophie's hands began to tremble. "But you knew. You could have told someone. You could have come to me!"

Howl grasped her hands and tried to calm her. "Sophie, listen to her."

Her breaths were short and shaky. Her thoughts ran wild through all the possibilities and alternatives to change the past, to change what had happened. She couldn't imagine watching Lettie die and not think to do anything to stop it.

A hand reached across the table. Sophie looked up, Martha's melancholy eyes sharing a hint of remorse. "I wish I could have done something, but it wouldn't have changed the result."

Sophie swallowed hard. Lettie didn't deserve to die. She was beautiful and content with her life and had so much ahead of her. She had a future; and now that was taken from her. There was even a chance she may have accepted Howl if she had known Martha was a magician herself.

Martha's eyes were weary. She seemed so young to have so much knowledge and power within herself. Sophie couldn't imagine having this ability. She would want to change everything she could. Maybe that was why Martha was gifted with this - she knew when to hold back.

"But I can tell you I saw the moment you and Howl met." Sophie looked up, Martha's smile beginning to calm her. "I saw how excited you were and how much you enjoyed being around him."

Sophie turned to Howl, remembering that moment as well. He was so narcissistic at the time, but he was daring and adventurous and she loved that. It was different; he was different. He was exactly what she needed.

Martha continued. "Magicians don't choose a source. They form through our identities and grow from our strengths."

Sophie ran her hand down her stomach. "I've been using electrokinesis since the baby. That's what Kenta and Howl told me."

"I don't know what my source is." All eyes turned to Markl, who had been sitting quietly in the armchair listening to their conversation. He slumped into the chair, one arm dangling off the side swinging back and forth.

Howl stood up and walked over to the boy, kneeling to his height. "I didn't learn my source until I was years older than you. You'll get there, Markl. I promise."

"Howl." He turned to Sophie. "What is your source?"

Howl knelt for quite some time, his legs refusing to stand. He stared at the ground, hoping the answer was somewhere down there. Sophie stood up, her footsteps lightly pounding against the hardwood floor toward Howl. He still wouldn't move.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please, Howl."

He cleared his throat and clenched his fists. "You don't want to know."

"Howl." Sophie leaned in, but her body refused to join him on the ground. "Why are you hiding this from me?"

"Because I hate it. I hate that I come from it."

"Come from what?"

"I said you don't want to know."

"But I do." Howl seethed through his teeth, but Sophie wouldn't give up. "Where does your source come from?"

"From darkness." Sophie released her grip on his shoulder. His eyes wouldn't meet hers. "Suliman trained me in the ways of darkness. She saw that it was in me and knew how to extract it."

The room fell silent, the only sound coming from the crackle of the firewood under Calcifer. Howl bowed his head to Sophie, one knee on the ground and his hands gripping hers. She sat against the couch and held onto him. She had always assumed; it was only a matter of him saying the words.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Sophie asked, one hand reaching to cup his cheek. "This is a part of you, a part that you can't change. No matter whether it's good or bad, I still love you and everything about you."

"But how?" Howl looked up, his eyes glossy. "How can you love someone who carries darkness inside?"

Sophie smiled and leaned closer. "Because you're more than that."

Howl exhaled heavily, his hand pressing into his chest. His heart felt the way it did when Sophie returned it to his being. This heavy burden returned, reminding him of all the things he couldn't change and all the things he wanted to.

The Witch turned to the two and smiled. "I like being at home."

Howl nodded. She had a habit of hardly paying attention to the major things. "Me too."

"Maybe we should all prepare for the night." Kenta stood up. "We've had a long day and should rest."

"Agreed." Howl pushed against his knee and stood straight, his eyes landing on Martha. Before he could ask, she already answered.

"Your old bedroom is already prepared for you and Sophie. I've been sleeping in the Witch of the Waste's old bedroom, but I don't mind giving it back to her and letting Gwenda take the spare."

Gwenda shrugged her shoulders. "I don't mind sleeping out here."

Martha raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You don't have to do that."

"It's no problem." Gwenda smiled. "I'm used to it."

"Well, it's your wish."

Martha helped the Witch to her bedroom while Markl allowed Kenta to share his room. Sophie checked the storage closet, and sure enough there were extra pillows and blankets enough for them all. Sophie couldn't help but smile; her sister prepared for every little detail.

Gwenda took a pillow and blanket from Sophie. "I didn't know you and Lettie had another sister."

"Neither did I." Calcifer chimed in.

Sophie sighed. "I haven't seen her in nearly five years. I just assumed she had stayed at the boarding school. Martha never really liked our mother, especially when she sent her away hoping she'd marry someone royal."

"Do you trust her?" Calcifer asked, his flames shying away. Gwenda breathed heavily, her nerves shaken by the fire demon's comment.

Sophie nodded with confidence. "Of course I do."

Calcifer relaxed, but his mind was still cautious of anyone unfamiliar to him.

Gwenda set up her sleeping arrangements and bid Sophie goodnight. When Gwenda turned her head and yawned, Calcifer lightened his flames and curled away as well. Sophie trudged up the stairs, unfamiliar to the struggle since their cottage was only one floor. Somehow, she felt relieved. They were home again.

She headed for the old master bedroom when a shadowy figure appeared in the corner. "Martha."

"Can we talk?" Martha whispered. Her eyes darted to the screen door that led to the porch.

Sophie raised her eyebrows. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes and no." Martha sighed. "In the premonition that I received of your arrival, I'm noticing something different. Someone in the vision hadn't come with you."

 **I know Martha isn't exactly as she is in the book. I changed her storyline to abide with the story. Also, yes she looks like Lettie from the book but in the movie Lettie had blonde hair so I changed that, too. Some people might get mad, sorry. Also, did the first scene seem familiar? After Heen woke up with the bickering between Markl and Calcifer? If not, check back in Thorns of a Rose Chapter 10 ;) Thanks for reading and stay tune for the next chapter!**


	8. Flawed Perfection

**Hello readers! I am back once more and with a new chapter (obviously). This one is pretty short, hate to say (unless you're like me and enjoy short chapters) but I hope you like it anyway! My updates have not seriously changed, but once winter break hits (probably Dec 8 I think is when I'm done) then things will start picking up more. But for now, here's Chapter 8!**

Once a week during apprenticeship, Madame Suliman met with each of her prestige students and trained with them personally. Within the first month, four students had withdrawn their admittance into her academy, which was not surprising. She usually had a number of beginning magicians discover they couldn't handle her methods and eventually abandoned their training. By the end of each apprenticeship period, she only allotted royal status to three magicians.

"Do it again."

The boy breathed heavily. Though the task wasn't overbearing physically, she could see that his mentality was breaking ever so slightly. He wiped his shirt over his forehead, leaving a large stain. She didn't care about how her students dressed or how much knowledge they knew prior to her training. She determined their worth based on how well they obeyed her.

"I don't like repeating myself." Madame Suliman said, her voice sharp.

The boy tried calming his breath. "We've been doing this for hours. I thought individual training only lasted one hour at most."

Suliman narrowed her eyes. She saw so much potential in this student, and he was too lazy to see his own worth. She walked with pride toward the young wizard, his eyes staring at her with trepidation. She bent down to his level, a smile creeping on her face. "We're focusing on your source. This means we practice until it releases."

The boy swallowed hard, his feet begging to step back but a force reeled him closer. He couldn't control himself.

"Howl." Suliman said. "Do it again."

Howl instinctively turned to the dove in the cage, her pristine white feathers glowing in the sun's rays from the large windows. The dove cooed softly as her gaze met Howl's. He watched her with dead eyes as he enacted the spell Madame Suliman had taught him.

The bird convulsed in the cage, the rattling of metal sending shivers down his spine. Howl twisted his hand the bird followed like a voodoo doll. The beautiful white feathers darkened and eventually, the pure bird was entirely dark. No longer an innocent dove, the raven cawed and flew around the cage, attacking the bars that confined her to the tight space.

"Well done." Madame Suliman clapped her hands. "You're source is becoming more prominent. You will soon be able to control it with ease."

Howl scratched the back of his neck. None of his other classmates received this much attention. They always teased him, saying he was the Madame's pet or her prize student. Mostly, they were jealous of all the private training and he could see it in the looks they gave him. He kept wondering why she focused on him.

"Mother." Howl and Madame Suliman turned to a boy with the fairest blonde hair Howl had seen. He dressed in the typical casual attire for the royals, wearing a white collar shirt and tan trousers. The center of his shirt ruffled, like a crumpled flower. Though he wasn't a student, she spent an equal amount of time training her son, Owen, as she did the others. However, Howl seemed to take up more and more of his training.

Madame Suliman forced a smile. "Owen, darling. What are you doing here? We're training."

" _We_ were supposed to train two hours ago." Owen glared at Howl, immediately frowning at the sight.

Madame Suliman held Owen's shoulders. "We'll train when I'm done with Howl."

Owen groaned and shook her shoulders to release his mother's grip. "That's what you always say. You love your prime students more than me."

"Owen, we will train when I say so."

"But it's true!" Owen shouted. He glared up to his mother, though her visage was unmoving. He switched to Howl, his teeth seething from the sight. Owen turned around and stormed out of the glass room, never turning back. A moment later, they heard the door slam shut.

For a minute or so, the room was quiet. Neither Madame Suliman nor Howl spoke. Howl was the first to break the silence. "I don't mind if you train with your son instead of me."

"No." She responded quickly. "He'll get what he wants soon enough."

Howl questioned her, though knew better than to say the words aloud.

Madame Suliman straightened her back, and with a wave of her fingers, transformed the raven back into a dove. "Do it again."

(—)

The Wastes were exceptionally quiet at this hour. Martha remembered years ago when she would wake up in tears from the sound of rampant magicians and creatures taking advantage of the full moon or the present darkness or whatever channelled their magic. She remembered rushing to Mrs. Fairfax's room, embarrassed that in her teenage years she still needed someone to comfort her in the night. Mrs. Fairfax was her mentor, her mother even - she always helped her through the scary nights.

Martha hadn't seen nights like those since the magicians reported to Suliman. Even with the absence of the frightening sounds, Martha still felt restless.

Sophie stared out to the Wastes admiring the beautiful landscape and the shimmering night sky. She remembered when she first discovered that it was Calcifer who moved the castle, impressed by his strength and spark. She was still amazed even now.

"It's incredible watching the castle move from a demon." Sophie turned to her sister, watching her gaze out to the Wastes. "Calcifer does a wonderful job."

Sophie bowed her head. "Yes, he does. He still surprises me with how it's even possible."

Martha sighed softly, her eyes locked on the nighttime atmosphere. The moon and stars reflected against the still lake, dancing along the tiny ripples. The trees were dark, but their branches rustled in the harsh wind, reminding those around that they still existed.

Sophie exhaled slowly. "You wanted to talk about the vision you saw."

Martha straightened her back, her eyes lowering. The wind blew her long hair away from her face, though she didn't attempt to retrieve it or restrain the strands.

Sophie swallowed hard. "You said someone didn't come with us when we arrived."

"Yes." Martha replied, her voice as soft as a ripple in the water. "The vision revealed a very similar event to what we witnessed. The portal opened and everyone came through."

"But not everyone."

Martha looked up to Sophie. "I didn't recognize the girl. I have never seen her before nor has she ever appeared in a vision."

Sophie rested her arm on the metal ledge. "What did she look like?"

"I'm not sure if you know anyone who has obnoxiously red pigtails longer than my own hair."

Sophie took a step back. "You mean Noe?"

Martha smiled. "So you do know this girl."

"Yes, but she's nothing to be excited about." Sophie said. Martha dropped the corners of her mouth. "She works for Suliman along with two other wizards, Nade and Xarx. If you saw her, I'm surprised those two weren't there as well."

Martha shook her head. "No. It was just her along with all of you."

"They ambushed us when Howl and Kenta were training me, but we defeated them and they left." Sophie's ankles swelled and ached from standing for so long. She slowly bent her knees and sat on the porch ground, letting her legs dangle over the edge. Martha soon joined her.

Sophie turned to her. "Is it possible for your premonitions to be wrong?"

Rarely." Martha said. "Sometimes, I don't even receive premonitions before events occur. However, with the events I have seen, they will occur, but there have been cases where not everything in the premonition was exactly as I saw it."

"So it's happened before?"

Martha nodded, her eyes dreary and dismal. "A few times. Such as with Lettie's."

Sophie breathed in heavily. Her anger toward her sister's negligence raised earlier, but seeing Martha's sorrow helped Sophie realize that maybe these vision were truly something out of her control.

Martha sniffled and rubbed her forearm across her eyes. "I wish I could have stopped it, but I can't change the future simply because I don't want something to happen."

"I know." Sophie said. "I'm sorry I yelled at your earlier. I didn't realize… I didn't understand what this ability meant."

Martha held Sophie's hands, her tears still present but now with a hopeful smile on her face. "If I had, you wouldn't have come here. You wouldn't be having this child with Howl, the child that will end Suliman."

"What?" Sophie released her hands from Martha's grip. She didn't know this. She shouldn't have known this.

Martha took a long breath in and exhaled slowly. "I won't tell you what you shall name your child or whether you will have a boy or girl, but I will tell you that you and Howl have created a powerful creature. This child is the answer."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sophie thought - especially after their previous discussion - that only Seers were allowed to see and know future events. This was going against Martha's limits.

She sighed. "If I don't you may not be cautious enough. Suliman has eyes and ears everywhere and she will take advantage of whatever information she can get her hands on."

Sophie tensed. "Even here?"

Martha shook her head. "Howl put so many spells on this castle, it's a wonder I even got in. It was the only place safe enough for me to hide from her."

Sophie bobbed her head back. "Why would Suliman be after you?"

Martha gazed out to the Wastes, admiring the changing scenery. She was so calm, so relaxed and controlled. Sophie assumed she would still be her childish, innocent self when they were reunited. She wasn't sure if she was happy that her baby sister had grown up or sad because her innocence had diminished.

Martha finally looked to Sophie. "She isn't yet. But once she discovers that I have an ability she lacks, I fear she might."

Sophie breathed heavily. "Suliman can't see the future?" Martha shook her head. "I always thought that was how she kept up with us. She was always one step ahead."

"Suliman needs magical orbs and crystal balls in order to see things; I was gifted with them in my mind. There's a powerful difference between having a natural ability and using an instrument."

"Are you more powerful than she is?" Sophie whispered, cautious of those who may be eavesdropping. Her paranoia had increased over time after being manipulated and abused so many times before. She wouldn't let that happen again.

Martha turned to her anxious sister, apologetic for the exaggerated laugh that escaped her mouth. She knew where Sophie was coming from, but the idea was simply too absurd.

"Oh Sophie, I'm sorry." Martha tried to conceal her laughter as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I couldn't compare to her. She's had over half a century of experience and I've barely trained for five years."

"But she doesn't have premonition." Sophie pleaded. "That must mean she's weak against you."

Martha shook her head. "If only. I would have put her in her place a long time ago. She never would have gotten away with half of the things she's done since the beginning of the war."

Sophie shivered in the cool breeze as the wind quickly picked up speed. As beautiful as the Wastes were, they were highly unpredictable and in constant change. One day the mountains could be at the edge of Market Chipping and the next, Sophie couldn't even see them out the window. The land was as stunning as it was terrifying.

Martha scooted closer to Sophie and wrapped her arms around her, rubbing her arms to keep Sophie warm. She accepted her sister's generosity, finding comfort in their old familial ways. However, nothing could stop the fear that crept into Sophie's mind every time that woman came to thought. She was an insect poisoning her mind and filling her with frightening thoughts, causing her to doubt herself and those around her.

"I'm scared of her." Sophie whispered.

Martha nodded. "So am I."

"She always finds a way to catch up." Sophie continued. "It doesn't matter if our plans even have the slightest chance of working. Suliman figures it out and defuses any opportunity we have. She has no weakness."

"Of course she does." Martha released her embrace and sat up tall. "Not every witch or wizard or sorceress has every known ability, not even Suliman. That's why magicians rely on objects to do the things they naturally cannot."

Sophie nodded, though her worries were still existent. She was vulnerable due to the pregnancy, and with the due date closing in, she was more frightened than ever over Suliman's plans.

Sophie felt a soft hand squeeze her shoulder, her gaze peering up to to her baby sister. Martha smiled softly. "Everyone has a weakness, even she does. You just have to find it."

 **Not too much excitement, but we got a nice one-on-one conversation with the Hatter sisters. Howl's training though... yeesh. Suliman's a little crazy (but we all knew that). If you have any thoughts about the characters or the chapters or my writing or the connections to the movie/book, I'd love to hear them. I'm always open to reviews and love hearing your thoughts. Until next time!**


	9. Safe House

**Wow, it's been a while hasn't it? This chapter was difficult to write, and with all the papers and presentations due last week I was pretty much living at the library (for those of you not in college yet, the library will be your best friend). But nevertheless, I finally finished the next chapter! I'm also hoping, HOPING, that I will get the next one out by the end of this week. Don't quote me on that, but it'll be my goal for the rest of the week. All right, you guys have waited long enough. Here you go!**

The castle had been strangely quiet since their arrival. Aside from the crackling fire and creaking stairs, Howl's castle could have been as abandoned as it was before. After nearly a month in hiding, somehow they found normalcy.

Calcifer rested his arms against the deteriorating wood. He stared blankly at the room, watching the typical routine in action. Howl and Markl trained at least twice a day. It was mostly all they could do during this time. Howl didn't have the farm to work at day in and day out, so he spent his days teaching Markl all he could. Calcifer couldn't remember the last time Markl used his magic to play a joke or mess around. The only time he even used his magic was when Howl or Kenta trained him.

"All right, Markl." Howl said. He lifted his palms facing the boy, waiting for Markl to mimic his movements. "Repeat after me. Salfod kiphe esto…"

Calcifer had seen long hours of training, since the living room was the main area of practice. They had just begun the mage's spells, and Markl was learning much faster since he started taking magic more seriously. Howl seemed proud of his achievements, and Markl didn't want to let him down. Kenta would teach him a few things here and there, but only when Howl focused his time on Sophie's magic. As the days went by, however, Sophie became less and less interested in her training.

The stairs creaked as Sophie walked down. She held tightly onto the railing with one hand while the other held her back straight. Her steps were very gradual and detailed. Calcifer couldn't time Sophie's afternoon naps, since they were so irregular and infrequent. Sometimes she would lie down for a half hour or so, but lately she had begun sleeping for two to three hours, largely cutting into her training period.

Howl told Markl to continue with the spell as he went to the bottom of the staircase, his hand outreached to Sophie. Her stomach had grown larger by a couple inches and her dresses from before were not fitting her properly at this point. She tried stretching them out, but had torn a couple. Her nightgown was nearly all she had left.

"How was your nap?" Howl asked as she grasped his hand.

"Fine." She replied. "I'm sorry I missed training again."

Howl shook his head. "We can train later tonight." He led Sophie to the couch. She eased into a sitting position, though she did not sit still. She continually adjusted her seating, but nothing seemed to satisfy her.

Howl sighed and returned to Markl's training. He had done everything he could to accommodate to Sophie's increasing discomfort, but with few resources it was difficult to soothe her. He remembered when she was so lively and energetic. Now, he could barely get her out of bed. He just wanted this pregnancy to end.

The Witch sat in the armchair, watching Calcifer's fire with contentment. Calcifer usually talked with her in the mornings, and then she would fall asleep during their conversation a while later and wake up about midday. Heen sat on her lap, relaxing from her gentle strokes down his spine. She rarely talked other than to reply to someone, never sparking her own conversation.

She usually kept to the same routine. Without the books she loved to read, she spent her days mostly sitting and thinking. Sometimes she'd whisper things to herself, though if someone asked what she had said she wouldn't tell.

"Here you are." Martha walked in from the kitchen, a cup of hot tea in her hand. Calcifer had preferred not to heat water yet again. With so many people in the house, he heated water more times a day than he could wrap his mind around. He hardly had a moment in the day to relax. His relaxing moments were typically at night, where he and Gwenda spent a few hours talking before sleep prevailed.

Martha was considerate to his wishes and used her magic to heat the water. She walked carefully over to the Witch and placed the cup on the coffee table.

"Oh, thank you dear." The Witch's eyes lit up and her frail hands reached for the cup.

"Sophie, you're awake." Martha said. "I can make you a cup if you'd like."

Sophie smiled. "That'd be wonderful."

Martha nodded. As she walked back to the kitchen, she heard a small voice in her head. She, Howl, and Kenta had learned how to communicate without speaking and were able to pass messages between one another, especially if they were frightened of what the others might think. Howl had simply asked her to place a strengthening spell in Sophie's tea, hoping that she might have more energy to train later.

Martha loved being around her sister again. The Wastes were so lonely when she travelled on her own, and it was hard to be excited about anything she saw when she didn't have anyone to share it with. Being with Sophie and her family reminded her of what she missed out after her mother sent her away.

Markl raised his palms forward while quietly whispering the spell Howl taught him. He closed his eyes during the spell and in an instant, he vanished and appeared on the other side of the room.

"Amazing, Markl!" Howl said, his eyes gleaming. Markl jumped with excitement throwing fists in the air.

"You're moving along nicely with the mage's spells." Howl said. "You're learning much faster than I did."

Markl rushed back to Howl and stood the same way he was before. He closed his eyes and repeated the spell, doing the same movements and repeating the same words until it happened again. He returned to Howl's side and repeated the spell.

Calcifer turned to the door. He could hear the wind echoing against the wooden frame, the weather turning colder and more hostile. He stared at the door, waiting for them to return.

"Calcifer, are you all right?" Sophie asked.

Calcifer breathed heavily. "When do you think Kenta and Gwenda will be back?"

"In due time." The Witch said, a strange smile on her face. "It takes a while to get back from Market Chipping."

"I hope they're safe." Sophie's gaze dropped to the floor. "I was worried when first they left for town."

Calcifer sighed. They had been gone for a few hours now, and looking up into the chimney, he saw the sky darkening. The worst thing that could happen was usually the first thought that came to mind. He had become more anxious, scared even of their routine. Anything could trip them up and no one would expect it. He didn't enjoy waiting like sitting ducks for Suliman to finally catch up to them. Having ties to Ingary once more was already too much of a risk. And he couldn't see how Howl didn't notice it.

Martha returned from the kitchen with two more cups of tea and sat down next to Sophie. Sophie thanked her and smelled the flavor emitting from the steam. She blew softly into the cup to cool down the burning tea and took quick sips. Martha nuzzled close to her sister, her head resting on her shoulder. The warm tea, the warm fire, and a warm family - it was everything she needed.

A loud clang hit the front door and it swung open, a large gust of wind pushing the wizard and the girl into the castle. Gwenda held two bags and rushed up the quick staircase. Kenta stood up and pushed hard against the door to close it, locking it once it was secure. The two panted loudly, slowly adjusting to an indoor atmosphere.

"We were so worried about you two." Sophie said. Here jumped off of the Witch's lap and wheezed until he reached Gwenda. Kenta took one of the bags so she could pet his back for a moment.

"No need to worry." Gwenda said with confidence. "Our disguises seemed to throw people off."

"But knowing Suliman, anything could have happened." Calcifer said.

Gwenda shrugged. "We know how to take care of ourselves. If any of Suliman's freaks showed up, we would have taken them down. Right, Kenta?"

Kenta rolled his eyes. "I would have done all the work and she would have taken all the glory, anyway."

Gwenda punched his arm and they both laughed. Gwenda snorted in her laugh, something she did every once in while. Everyone stayed put, finding their friendly banter quite shocking. It wasn't too long ago they stood in that very living room listening to Gwenda yell at Kenta and smack him for leaving her sister.

Markl noticed their source of heat grow stronger. "Calcifer, your fire's really red."

Everyone turned to the fire demon, watching Calcifer's eyes widen and slowly return his fire to a normal state. He looked around the room, trying to find something of interest, but nothing caught his attention until he noticed Gwenda's attire.

"You look different." Calcifer said. Gwenda raised her eyebrows as she looked at her new clothes. There were no remnants of the servant's dress she used to wear, and a pair of tan cargo pants took its place. She wore a white shirt underneath a light brown jacket and kept her old boots from before. It was very uncommon to see women without dresses or skirts, but then again Gwenda was no ordinary woman. She almost lived to rebel against the norm.

Gwenda sighed. "I couldn't stand it anymore. That dress was a terrible reminder of working at the Palace. I should have gotten rid of it months ago."

Howl cleared his throat loudly, taking long steps toward her. He crossed his arms. "And how did you pay for those things?"

Gwenda smiled wide. "Don't worry, I wasn't just thinking of myself." She knelt by Sophie and Martha and dropped her bag. Heen sniffed the bag as Gwenda shared the abundance of dresses. "I bought you some maternity dresses. I figure you would need some."

Sophie gasped softly as she looked at the dresses in the bag, her eyes beginning to water. Her voice reached a higher pitch. "That's so sweet of you."

She reached to embrace Gwenda, but the tears poured out like she was crying over something much more serious. Gwenda raised her eyebrows as she turned to the others in the room. Calcifer and Markl shook their heads while Martha simply looked away. The Witch cackled as she sipped her tea, but Gwenda was still confused. She hadn't seen Sophie this emotional over a few dresses.

Howl knelt down next to her. "Mood swings. Just go with it."

Gwenda nodded and patted Sophie on the back. "I'll go put these in your room."

She took the bag and ran up the stairs in a hurry, Heen right behind her. She was up the stairs and out of sight before Sophie finished clearing her eyes of the tears.

"Kenta." He turned to Sophie, her eyes staring wide. "When you were in town, did you hear anything about Ovela? Or Magnol?"

Kenta bit his lip. He straightened his jacket, clearing his throat before speaking. "The war has begun. King Rolland and his army have moved for the capital, Bellion, and it doesn't look to be in their favor."

Sophie dropped her gaze, her breath becoming shaky. Howl rubbed her back, though no amount of comfort would change the facts. Rolland would not stop his greed for expanding borders. Justin would not stop following his brother's orders. And Suliman would not stop her search for them.

The room fell silent. Calcifer looked around to the solemn faces in the room, none wishing to speak up on the situation. The fire demon took a deep breath in. "What are we going to do?"

Howl shook his head. "Nothing we can do for now. All we can do is wait."

Calcifer sighed. Before he could speak again, Kenta placed his bag on the coffee table. "I hope Calcifer is fine with cooking. We brought fish."

Howl nodded, appreciating Kenta's change in topic. Calcifer rolled his eyes. "Sure, why not? It's not like I'm doing anything else right now." He shook his head as he reached for another log, the last in his pile. He almost wished Gwenda and Kenta had brought more firewood with them as well.

"But you aren't doing anything else." Markl said. Calcifer narrowed his eyes at the boy. Markl creased his eyebrows, looking to the others in the room to understand what he apparently was not.

Sophie took another sip of her tea before her eyes shot open. Her eyelids weren't heavy and her back didn't ache as much as it was before. She was nearly done with the hot drink, and her body felt a sense of rejuvenation. Howl noticed this change in her immediately. He turned to Martha and whispered a thank you before turning to Sophie.

"How are you feeling?" Howl asked. He ran his fingers through her hair, breaking the knots he came upon with little effort.

"Great, actually." Sophie said, her eyebrows creased in. "I just got this burst of energy."

Howl smiled. "How about we train for a bit while Kenta cooks dinner?"

Kenta coughed loudly. "Martha, you know how to cook, right?" Howl turned to him, disappointment written on his face. Kenta shrugged.

Martha stood up. "Sure, why not?" She walked to the fireplace with the bag, Calcifer groaning before reverting to a cooking fire. Kenta sat in her spot and let out an exhaustive sigh. He kicked his shoes off and rested his feet on the table. The Witch reached for her tea and pulled it closer to her, removing the refreshing drink from the vicinity of Kenta's reeking feet.

(—)

Howl and Sophie made some progress during Martha's cooking. The Witch had fallen asleep once again and Heen had joined her. Kenta held a mage's spell book looking for new spells to teach Markl. After Gwenda brought Sophie's new dresses to her room, she relieved her boredom through some much needed cleaning. She swept, dusted, and washed the dishes. She and Markl had recently left to collect more firewood for Calcifer.

Howl was pleased with their training. Sophie was showing more control over her magic and her strength over what she could produce impressed him. This was her first training session in three days, and Howl was afraid that would set her back. He was mostly concerned with her lack of concentration.

"I don't know, Howl." Sophie said as she licked her lips. "It was easier just using all my strength on one spell."

"Yes, but you can conserve your energy by focusing on how much you wish to use on multiple spells." Howl turned to the lamp on the side table and motioned her to follow him. "We'll use this lamp."

"A lamp?"

Howl turned the lamp on and off a few times. "Your source comes from electrokinesis. Your greatest power is the ability to absorb and manipulate electricity and electrical currents."

Kenta snorted. "He took that from our beginner's manual."

Howl shot him a glare, though Kenta was unmoved. Martha quietly laughed as she flipped the fish onto their other side. She took a slice of lemon and squeezed the sour juices onto the fish before searing the slice in the pan. Calcifer's fire remained steady and he was very quiet. He had not said a single comment against Howl or laughed.

Howl pressed his palms into his forehead. "So what if I did? It's accurate. Now can we please move on with this?"

Kenta chuckled before closing his eyes and resting the book on his chest. Sophie sighed. "All right. Tell me what to do."

Howl nodded. "Thank you. Raise your arms like this." Howl held her hands gently, her eyes still closed. His heartbeat quickened. He rubbed his fingers over her skin, how soft she felt even still. He had almost forgotten how she could relieved his anxiety with a simple touch. A graze against his cheek or her fingers wrapping over his was all it took for him to feel at ease.

Sophie creased her eyebrows. "Howl?"

He cleared his throat. "Sorry." He lifted her hands and spread out her fingers, holding them over the dismal lamp. Sophie stared at the grey lightbulb and swallowed hard. As Howl released her hand, her fingers began to tremble.

"Now, your going to turn on the light." Howl said. "Connect your mind to the lightbulb and concentrate on using only a portion of your strength to light it."

Sophie nodded. She adjusted her body to stand straight, holding her back upright and proper. Her fingers stopped trembling, but instead felt a surge of power. She jolted her fingers as they struck the lightbulb with a spark of electricity. The light shone at high power for a second before vanishing.

Calcifer looked over from Martha's cooking. "You need to tone it down a bit."

Sophie humphed. "Really? That's what I need to do? Thank you for your input."

Calcifer shrugged. "Fine. I don't need to help you. I have so many other things I could be doing right now."

"Like cooking our dinner?" Martha said with a smile.

Howl crossed his arms. "Calcifer, she's trying."

"Well, tell her how serious this is." Calcifer's fire intensified and Martha removed the skillet for fear of burning their dinner. She checked the fish to see if they were cooked all the way through. "She needs to crack this down or else your child may suffer from her lack of skill."

Sophie dropped her jaw. "Hey, I'm trying here."

"Are you?" Calcifer said. Martha walked to the dining table and placed the fish on the plate in the center, avoiding any confrontation. Kenta opened his eyes, having been listening closely to their conversation. The Witch of the Waste sat with wide eyes and her ever-present smile. She pat Heen's back as they watched the confrontation. She had been waiting for some excitement in this castle.

Calcifer took in a deep breath. "You've become lazy, Sophie. And before you defend yourself, I know you're pregnant. I know this is a difficult time and the baby is making you this way. I know it's hard to get up in the morning and want to practice magic, but you need to realize how important this is for your child's future."

Howl took a step toward the fire demon. "Calcifer, she's making progress."

Calcifer narrowed his eyes at Howl. "Whenever she feels like it. I'm not trying to bully her, but you need to push her more than you are. Suliman could be on our trail without us even knowing it."

Howl clenched his teeth. "We're on the run from that mad woman. We can't risk leaving and exposing ourselves."

"So are we just going to spend the rest of our lives running from Suliman?"

"Well, for now it's best that we stay on guard and do our best to avoid her."

Calcifer snorted. 'Yeah, until she or one of her other goons come to attack us again."

Calcifer-"

"No, I'm serious." Calcifer's eyes locked on Howl. "Are we really going to just sit here and wait for her? We're still in Ingary. We've been in Ingary for almost a month! I'm surprised she hasn't figured out we're hiding in this old castle again."

Markl and Gwenda walked up the stairs with the firewood, barely audible against the argument. Kenta noticed the two and held his finger to his lips. Martha slowly walked toward them and began explaining. Sophie shook her head as she sat next to Kenta, leaning next to him with one arm pulling her close. She rubbed her stomach slowly, her eyes locked on the unborn child inside.

"That's enough, Calcifer." Howl pointed his finger at the fire demon. "I am doing what is best for my family, for all of us! We are trying to stay alive, and that's all we can manage right now. Once this baby is born, we can start thinking about leaving again."

Calcifer's flames grew and turned red. "Sophie is vulnerable. You know that more than anyone! She is carrying your child, and Suliman has proven time and time again that she is willing to go to great lengths just to have this baby. Are you sure you want to wait until he or she is born before trying to get out of here?"

Howl sniffed and pinched his nose, hiding his face from Calcifer. "I don't know where else to go. Ovela has just entered a war with Ingary, and Suliman will simply attack any country in this realm that she assumes we're in."

"What about your sister in Wales?" Calcifer said. "That's not in this realm."

Sophie looked to Howl. She had heard of his sister before, Meghan Jenkins, but they had never met. In fact, Howl hadn't seen his sister since before he met her. Apparently, their relationship was not the friendliest of sorts. Howl shook his head. "I don't think my sister wants to see me. And I'd really prefer not to put her in danger."

"We're running out of time, Howl."

"You think I don't know that?" Howl's voice increased in volume. He stood mere inches from Calcifer, whose flames moved sporadically as his anger increased. "I wish I didn't have to worry about Sophie giving birth in a hospital or a bedroom or a prison cell. Because if Suliman gets her, that last option is probably what she's already planning."

Gwenda stepped forward, dropping the firewood on the ground. "Howl, how could you say something like that right in front of her?"

Howl turned to Gwenda. "Why try and hide it? Now that we're apparently speaking what's on our minds, we may as well go all out." Howl looked to Sophie, and his heart nearly stopped. She leaned into Kenta's shoulder, her muffled cries tearing into his soul. Kenta stared blankly at Howl, running his hands up and down her back.

Howl took slow steps over to the couch, bending down to meet Sophie at eye level. She didn't notice his presence until he brushed her hair with his fingers, watching the silver dance between his fingertips. Sophie turned to him, her head still pressed against Kenta's shoulder. Her eyes were red and glossy. He remembered seeing her look this way when Suliman's guards had him locked in chains at the wedding, the wedding Sophie stopped because of him. Because she loved him.

And he couldn't protect her even now.

Howl swallowed hard, resting his hand against Sophie's stomach. His eyes couldn't fight back the tears as hard as he tried. "I wish I didn't have to worry about if I get to see our child grow up. I wish I didn't have to worry about losing everyone I've grown to love and care for. I wish we could all be safe."

Sophie nodded, her lips mouthing the words "I know" as she cleared her weary eyes. Howl reached for her hands, intertwining his fingers with hers. He pressed his lips against her forehead, kissing her gently.

Calcifer's flames returned to normal. He turned to the others, the only one looking back at him being Gwenda. Her eyes showed confusion, wondering what had sparked this ordeal. He didn't want to believe that he had caused Howl to reveal his vulnerability, to share how scared he really was of Suliman. He had grown extremely close to Howl over the years, and this was no surprise to him. He was merely surprised by how open Howl was becoming.

Martha held Markl's hand, the boy simply staring at his feet with dead eyes. She couldn't read into his mind; that wasn't her specialty. But by the look on his face, she could see how frightened he was. Martha never experienced the things he was going through at his age, and they only had about a five-year difference in age.

When she was his age, her mother had sent her away. She never thought she would ever see her family again once she left school. She felt grateful to have the knowledge and skills she did during this time to prepare - but Markl was another story. He had a lot more training before he could stand up to the forces they would see in the future.

The Witch of the Wastes raised an eyebrow, her eyes glued to Howl. "So then, what is your plan, Howl Pendragon? Are you going to let Suliman control you, or are you going to take action?"

Howl breathed in gradually, taking in as much as his lungs would allow. He stood up straight, turning to the group. "For now, this is our safe house. I can't take any chances right now. We can't take any chances right now."

The others nodded in agreement, but Calcifer simply stared at him, his face indifferent. Howl returned the gaze. "Because one wrong move and she wins. And I will not let her win."

 **Little confrontation there, eh? Calcifer doesn't like waiting and sitting around; he wants to take action. Then there's Howl, who throughout this story has had a major personality change. He's more on the safe side, more willing to stay out of conflict than to fight. I know not a lot happened in this chapter, but I promise the next one might just shake you up... But no spoilers! I'll get the next one up ASAP!**

 **RANDOM FACT!**

 **Donna (Sophie's friend in Ovela) and Irma (The Witch of the Waste's cover name) are both of my grandmothers' names. Both are now deceased (rest in peace) but I wanted to tribute them in my story.**


	10. Headstrong

**What a quick update! I actually had a lot more time today to write today than I thought I would. Of course, it is almost two in the morning where I'm from but that's okay! I knew I wanted this chapter up and I got it! I left out a flashback/flash forward in last chapter but most chapters will have those (including this one). Whoever is ready to see what happened to Gwenda and Lona, get ready cuz here they come!**

As sisters, they had their fair share of fights. Both wielded the same stubborn qualities and when an argument commenced, neither backed down lightly. It seemed as though the older they got, the longer they lasted and the more painful the fights became. While most arguments ended with a hug and an apology, Gwenda feared this one had gone too far.

"Why does it have to be him?" She said, her arm outstretched to the man leaning against the wall. Lona stood between Kenta and her sister, protecting him from whatever Gwenda might throw at him. Luckily, the plates were all put away, but their bookcase wasn't too far from where she stood. And it wouldn't have been the first time she threw a book at Kenta.

Kenta crossed his arms. "You know I'm in the room."

Gwenda smirked. "Yes, I can see."

"Gwenda, we've been dating for nearly eight months." Lona said, her fiery red eyes pleading with her. They looked similar in almost every way and yet, since Kenta had entered her life, disagreed on nearly everything. "Is it that hard to accept that I love him?"

Gwenda scoffed. "It's hard to accept that you've let a wizard take advantage of you."

Kenta pushed off the wall, stomping with his finger pointed at her. Lona stopped him from moving any farther, but his eyes glared at Gwenda with rage. "I have never taken advantage of Lona. I would never do that to her or anyone else for that matter."

Gwenda rolled her eyes. "Like I would believe you anyway."

Lona dropped her jaw. "Gwenda! How can you say that?"

"Oh come on, Lona!" Gwenda raised her voice. "Magical creatures are all the same! They abuse humans to get what they want and when they're done, they throw us away."

"I refuse to believe that."

Gwenda narrowed her eyes. "You really need a refresher?"

Lona frowned, her lips trembling. "This is not like that."

"How do you know?"

"Because Kenta isn't using me!" Lona said, her own volume shocking her core. Kenta held her shoulders as she took calming breaths in. He rubbed her shoulders to relax her, but couldn't relax his own anger toward Gwenda. He knew she had a disdain for magicians, though her insults were becoming more hurtful and inaccurate. She judged the entire race of magicians by the acts of a few terrorizers.

Lona inhaled deeply. "If you don't want him around, then you don't want me around."

Gwenda's face dropped. "Lona, that's not what I said. You're my sister."

"And I love Kenta." Lona took a step forward. "If you loved someone other than yourself, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Gwenda dropped her shoulders. That was it; that was what Lona chose to believe. In her mind, she envisioned the two hugging and apologizing for saying the things they did. She envisioned them sitting on the couch next to a fire talking and laughing. She envisioned her sister far away from the magical world. It was a nice thought, but Gwenda knew there was no coming back from this one.

Lona held shaking fists by her side, shutting her eyes tightly. "I'm leaving. I'm moving in with Kenta and that's final."

The small apartment fell silent. Lona held back the oncoming tears as best as she could, Kenta right behind her, holding her arms in comfort.

Gwenda glared at him. It was his fault. Kenta was separating her from the only family she had left. She hated him; she would always hate him for this.

"Fine." Gwenda said. Lona opened her eyes, only to see her sister grab her purse from the table and head for the door. Lona stared with wide eyes as her sister passed her without a second glance. She turned around as she opened the door. "You think I care if you throw your life away? Go ahead. Leave like mother did."

"Gwenda, this is not like when mother left." Lona said.

Gwenda turned away. "You can pack your things while I'm gone. But trust me, you'll see it eventually." She slammed the door behind her, leaving with the hopes that Lona would realize the corruption inside of those who possessed magic. She could never trust a magician, not after how they had destroyed her family.

(—)

Dinner had been quiet that night. After the argument between Howl and Calcifer, everyone slowly made their way to the table and ate in silence. Even Markl, who hardly tried anything new, ate his fish without complaints. Sophie enjoyed this new side to the boy, though resented the events leading to his early maturity. Had he been raised by the family who gave him up, maybe he would have had a little while longer to act like a child.

Sophie and Martha snuck out of the castle to walk around the silver lake at night. Sophie recognized what Calcifer had said about the baby causing her lethargic behavior, and a nice walk by the lake seemed to keep her awake.

Martha held her hands behind her back, smiling up to the clouds hovering over the moon. "The Wastes are so peaceful at night."

Sophie nodded. "I never really thought about it too much."

"It's hard to." Sophie turned to Martha, though her gaze stayed high. "You get so caught up in the stories and myths of the land and it frightens you from appreciating its beauty."

"Were you scared of the Wastes when you first came here?"

Martha laughed. "I was terrified. But Mrs. Fairfax was such a wonderful teacher."

Sophie stood still, Martha tilting her head back. Sophie exhaled slowly. "I never asked why you chose magic."

Martha raised her eyebrows. "Why I chose magic?"

Sophie nodded. "I mean, I know not everyone possesses magic in their genes, but somehow it factored into our family. I just have so many questions about it."

Martha held Sophie's hands. "I didn't choose magic; it is a part of me that I chose not to ignore. Now, are you really asking why I gained powers on my own rather than you or Lettie?"

Sophie dropped her head. "I'm not mad, I'm honestly just curious."

The cool air sent chills down Sophie's back. Martha waved her hand over Sophie's body, sending a wave of heat over her. Sophie smiled and whispered a thank you. Martha gestured for them to continue their walk.

"I understand your curiosity." Martha said. "I had the same questions during the first few weeks of my training. I kept asking Mrs. Fairfax why she chose me as her apprentice and then how I was able to possess magic with non-magician parents or grandparents. She helped me see back through our family tree and point out the magicians in our family."

"Really?"

Martha nodded. "We had more farther down the line, but somehow our family lost magic for a while. I was the first to show signs of magic in four generations."

Sophie stared off into the distance. "That's… I mean, in a way that's amazing that it was you after all that time with no magic."

"But also quite sad." Sophie nodded in agreement. "I kind of wished we had cousins with magic. I also kind of wished we saw our cousins more often than we did."

"Did we have magicians on father's side or mother's side?" Sophie asked. "I'm wondering just because… well because we do have different mothers and I'm curious if that-"

"Both, actually." Martha said, interrupting. "But Mrs. Fairfax said my source resides more with father's side."

Sophie smiled. Knowing that there was magic in their father's family excited her. All of her life she felt normal, boring even. It wasn't until she met Howl that she explored her adventurous self and pushed herself to be better. Magic had brought so much amazement into her life. It had become a part of her, almost all of her.

"You speak very highly of Mrs. Fairfax. She must have been special."

Martha nodded. "She taught me more than just magic - she taught me how to be free of my fears."

Sophie dropped her gaze. "I wish I could do the same."

"It's harder with a child." Martha said. "I wouldn't have the same mindset that I do now if I were expecting."

Sophie rested her hand over her stomach. She didn't know how she could feel so safe and so terrified at the same time. She feared for her child's future more than anything else, but knowing her family was there alongside her gave her the courage to keep her hope alive.

Sophie stopped Martha and embraced her. "I'm so glad I have you."

Martha blinked a couple times before fully embracing her sister. She almost lost her breath. The familial love she knew as a child had become foreign to Martha the longer she spent her life in isolation. Waiting for Sophie to return to the castle seemed like ages, but the reward was worth the wait.

Martha widened her eyes. A vision. She pulled away and stared at the lake, though her eyes were seeing something entirely different. A woman with long, blonde hair struggling against a shadowy figure. Martha could see the same lake in the vision. The woman was fighting back, but completely overpowered. The attacker used magic - magician against human. The vision ended with the blonde woman falling unconscious. She assumed the event would happen very soon or was currently in progress.

"Martha, what is it?" Sophie held her shoulder, bringing her back to reality. Martha breathed heavily before pulling Sophie back the way they came.

"We have to go back." Martha said. Sophie ran with her, but her pregnancy slowed her down to where Martha couldn't sprint at full speed. She wouldn't leave her pregnant sister behind, but she was determined to warn the others of her vision.

"Why?" Sophie asked. "What did you see?"

"I think Gwenda's in danger." Sophie widened her eyes, though her body couldn't push forward. Martha felt her pull her back, watching Sophie gasping for air.

"Gwenda's in danger?" Sophie said, her breaths short and heavy. "She's in the castle talking to Calcifer. She wouldn't leave for anything this late."

Martha shook her head. "In my vision, I saw a girl with the same hair as Gwenda struggling in a fight. I couldn't see the attacker, but I'm certain it was her."

Sophie rested her hands on her knees. She shot her eyes to Martha. "Gwenda's sister looks nearly identical to her."

Martha raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"I've never seen a picture, but the only main difference between Gwenda and her sister are their eye colors. That's what she told me. Her sister's hair is just as long as hers. You may have seen Lona."

Martha searched the ground for an answer, but to no avail. She used a system for each vision she received. See the events and gather as many facts as possible and make conclusions based on time and place. Never interfere. If anything, warn someone else. But under no circumstances may she stop the event from happening.

Martha snapped at Sophie, casting a strengthening spell over her. Sophie immediately stood up straight, shocked by the change in posture. If they were to return to the castle quickly to rule out Gwenda as the victim, they needed to hurry.

Martha took her sister's hand and bolted. Sophie had never run this fast where one leg picked up before the other hit the ground. She saw the lake turning at a quicker pace than she ever imagined, as if they were in orbit. This was the most she had seen her sister use magic, and it was enchanting.

The castle wasn't too far away, and with their lightning speed it took mere seconds to return to its vicinity. And there by the lake stood the woman with blonde hair.

Sophie approached her cautiously. After touching her shoulder, the woman turned around. Sophie shuddered. "Gwenda, it is you."

Gwenda smiled. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Sophie turned to Martha, who took gradual steps toward them. "Martha had a vision about you. She thought you were in danger."

Gwenda shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think I'm in danger."

Sophie tilted her head. "What are you doing outside of the castle?"

Gwenda turned to Martha, then returned to Sophie with a smirk. "I'm following orders."

Sophie took a step back. "What?"

Gwenda's hair turned a dark red and formed into long pigtails, and a broomstick appeared in her hand. She stunned Sophie, now unable to move. "Suliman wants that child."

"No!" Martha placed a thin shield around Sophie, keeping her out of reach from the witch. She cast a reversal spell on Sophie to give her access to her limbs once more. Martha instinctively rushed through the shield and attempted a mind conjuring, but the witch was too hasty. She disappeared and reappeared behind Martha, locking her mind with her own conjuring spell, rendering her unconscious.

"Martha!" Sophie shouted. Noe turned to Sophie, her teeth clenched. Sophie took a few steps back, but Noe was already in process of deteriorating the shield. Sophie watched Martha lying in the grass, completely helpless against Noe's expertise.

Sophie raised her hands, the familiar vibrations running through to her fingertips. She looked to the sky, allowing her emotions to alter the weather patterns and darken the clouds above. Her fingers lit with excitement and electricity as her mind focused on her target. Noe vanquished Martha's protective shield and immediately Sophie struck.

"Whoa!" Noe quickly grabbed the lightning strike and forced it back to the sky. It clashed with the clouds, causing the sky to rumble like an earthquake. Sophie held her breath the second Noe smirked. "Not this time, you little human."

Noe spun around like a tornado pointing her broomstick to the sky. The clouds dispersed and the last bit of lightning struck her, absorbing into her own power. Sophie had not seen magic like this before. She had not seen a magician take advantage of another's own source.

Noe locked her eyes onto Sophie. "Now you're mine."

"Hey!" Noe prepared herself for Martha's possible attack, but rather was surprised by an enraged human pinning her to the ground. Noe fought to remove the girl, but she held her grip.

"Gwenda!"

Gwenda held Noe's wrists to the ground, using strength she didn't even know she possessed. Her braid had mostly fallen out and there were sticks and leaves attached. She held strong against the witch's power.

"You can't have her or that child!" Gwenda said, holding Noe down to keep her away from Sophie.

Noe grunted. "I thought I got rid of you."

Gwenda blew the fallen hairs away from her face. "Try again. I'm more stubborn that you thought."

Noe clenched her teeth as she focused on Gwenda's mind, distorting her thoughts and changing her current motives. Gwenda released her grip and backed away swiftly. She turned left and right, not quite understanding what had happened to her mind. Noe stood up, broomstick in hand, ready to attack.

"Sophie!" They turned to see three wizards running from the stagnant castle, closing in on the girls. Noe seethed from the sight of Howl and Kenta, once again interrupting her plans. The little boy stood next to Sophie, his wand wielded and ready. Kenta and Howl stood on either side of Noe, waiting for her next move.

She wanted Sophie. Rather, she needed Sophie, but that wasn't an option anymore. Martha may have been unconscious, but her powers were too difficult to control. There was only one person Noe knew she could take with little confrontation.

Noe tilted her head with a smile. "Catch me if you can." She stunned the already confused Gwenda and in one quick move, mounted her on the broomstick and shot through the sky.

"No!" Howl and Kenta joined her in flight, following the witch's high ascent. She flew in a strange formation that neither Howl nor Kenta could map. She was barely in sight.

"If you want your friend back, you'll give us that baby." Noe said, her voice carrying in the wind. "Until then, we won't play so nicely with her." Her laughter mixed with Kenta's cries, and then there was silence.

 **Gwenda is gone! And it was really sudden too, I'm wondering if anyone guessed something like this would have happened. Noe is kinda rude, isn't she? I could give her worse names but I'm going to hold back on those particular words (that I assume most of you can guess on your own). But what's done is done, and things start heating up with this change. What's gonna happen to our group now that they're missing one? We'll see...**

 **RANDOM FACT:**

 **Gwenda's name was originally going to be Yumiko and her nickname Yumi. I changed it when I wanted the setting to stick more closely to Wales (and Gwenda just seemed like a badass name in my opinion).**


	11. Creature of Limited Purpose

**This has been my best week ever for updating. THREE CHAPTERS IN ONE WEEK! That never happens to me. And, I'm actually pretty proud with how they came out. Don't worry, I spent a good amount of time editing so they were top notch for uploading. It definitely helps to get a read-through before putting it out there. I can't believe half of the mistakes I see before I upload. Anyway! You all came to read a chapter and a chapter you will get! Just a heads up, this is before the scene in the last chapter with Sophie, Gwenda, Martha, and Noe. Enjoy!**

As a fire demon, Calcifer always saw himself as a creature of limited purpose. He was constrained to fireplaces and steel boxes, unable to move freely on his own. Heating baths and moving a junky castle were not what he expected to be doing in his second life, but he knew he shouldn't complain. If it weren't for the Wizard Howl, he wouldn't even be alive.

Calcifer sat in the fireplace, his eyelids weighing down and begging for rest. Though it was not a necessity for him to survive, sometimes a little sleep helped him focus better. He nodded off atop the growing pile of ashes and the fragile heart that kept him alive, giving in to the tempting slumber.

Their relationship was one of high complexity. Calcifer kept Howl's heart hidden and protected while it fed into his own life. Howl avoided most, if not all, human emotions and focused more on magic. They kept this balance for nearly a decade. Howl wanted to avoid any human connection, and Calcifer feared what would happen if he lost Howl's heart - as long as Calcifer held his heart, their curse stayed active.

"Peekaboo!" Calcifer shot his eyes open only to find a small child standing in front of him with his hands raised. Calcifer blinked a couple times, taking in the sight of the boy. He had short ginger hair and dark brown eyes. He wasn't very tall, only a few inches above the height of the fireplace. He couldn't have been more than four or five years old. The boy had torn clothing in his arms and over the knees. His face was scuffed with dirt marks and a few cuts.

He laughed. "You're a fire."

Calcifer rolled his eyes. "No, I'm a fire demon. They are two completely different things."

The boy covered his mouth as he continued his laughter. "Can I touch you?"

Calcifer widened his eyes. "No you cannot! I'm not a toy!" Howl walked down the staircase, his eccentric attire too peculiar to miss. His blonde hair swayed back and forth, long enough to cover his eyes. He held a stack of clothes fit for the boy.

"Howl." Calcifer said. "Oh thank God. Would you tell me why you let a child in here?"

"He was sitting on our doorstep in Porthaven." Howl said. He waved his hands over the dining table, closing a spell book he had been studying earlier that day. "He told me he had no home to go to, so I allowed him to stay with us."

The boy reached onto the cement fireplace. Calcifer backed away as far as he could. "Well, could you tell him to stop trying to touch me? I'm a fire demon."

The boy climbed onto the fireplace and dropped his hand on Calcifer. Not a second later did the boy fall back on the floor, crying with a burned hand. The tears flooded as he held his hand close. "Bad fire, you burn me."

Calcifer gawked. "I told him not to touch me. I only hurt people."

Howl waved his hand to Calcifer and bent down next to the boy. "Does it hurt, Markl?"

He nodded, using his other hand to wipe the tears from his face. Howl set the clothes on the ground. He held Markl's burned hand with his and waved over it with his other. The mark on his hand faded away and returned to a healthy skin color.

Markl smiled wide and held his hand up. "It doesn't hurt!"

Howl nodded. "You will learn to do these things as well. I will train you to be a great wizard."

Calcifer smirked. That's why he brought the child in. He wanted an apprentice. They had been acquaintances for a decade, and Calcifer knew Howl's motives for nearly every decision he made. This was no surprise to him.

Howl picked up the clothes and handed them to the boy. "Why don't you settle in? Make yourself at home."

Markl smiled and rushed to the staircase, tripping on almost every other stair he encountered. Howl chuckled softly before making his way upstairs as well. He turned to Calcifer before he was out of sight. "While you're moving the castle, why don't you heat up my bath? Markl will take one after me as well, I assume."

Calcifer seethed through his teeth as Howl departed from the room, leaving Calcifer alone again. Heat the bath, move the castle. This was his life - sitting in a pile of ashes weighed down by the heart of a child. He wasn't a powerful fire demon - he was a servant.

(—)

Calcifer enjoyed his nightly conversations with Gwenda. It was a nice change from when he used to spend his nights alone. It helped him forget about the other responsibilities he had to do as a fire demon.

Every night, they would spend hours talking about whatever came to mind until Gwenda's body couldn't stay up any longer. Sometimes she would end the conversation and turn over, but other times she would fall asleep in the middle of a sentence, lying her head on the pillow without so much as a goodnight. But Calcifer didn't mind; he was content with their conversations no matter what.

"So, that was a little intense earlier, wasn't it?" Gwenda said. She brushed Heen's back with her fingers, his soft wheezing a good indication of his pleasure. "Are you okay?"

Calcifer sighed. "I think we'll be fine. We've had our fair share of arguments in the past and were able to get through them."

"Any arguments of this magnitude?" Gwenda asked. She stared at Calcifer, trying to read his mind through his expressions. People were easy to decipher, but it was hard to read a fire demon. Though she trusted him more than anyone, she knew he could fool her with a glance or a smile to throw her off track.

But he had not done that to her so far.

Calcifer shrugged. "Maybe. I can't really remember. We've fought so many times it would be like trying to count the number of stars in the sky."

Gwenda nodded. "And those numbers change every year."

Calcifer's face dropped, his memories flooding back as if they occurred yesterday. The Night of Falling Stars, his refusal to accept death, and the one boy who was as selfish as the star he saved to give him one last chance. It was so long ago and yet Calcifer still looked upon that night wondering if he had made the right decision.

Gwenda widened her eyes after noticing Calcifer's expression. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot. Shit, I'm so stupid."

Calcifer shook his head. "No you're not. You just forgot."

"But you literally told me what… two nights ago?" Gwenda sighed. Her memory was that of an elderly woman, and things she heard one day could easily be forgotten the next. She didn't want to insult him, but with all the information they had shared over the last month or so, she was surprised she hadn't forgotten more. His life was so complex it kept her awake at night just itching to hear the ending to a moment in his life - a moment she wasn't a part of.

All those years as a star and then a fire demon - she couldn't imagine the amazing things he had seen or done. In the short months that they had become friends, it was hard to believe there was time where they hadn't known of the other's existence.

Gwenda looked up to him. His smile lit up the room as much as his fire did. She rested her elbows on the pillow, leaving Heen to curl up next to her side. "I wonder what it would be like to live two lives. It must be liberating."

Calcifer held closely onto the molten wood underneath him, his flames at a healthy level. Liberating was the last word he would have used to describe himself. Freedom was not even in his dictionary. The only amount of freedom he could remember was when Sophie had broken the curse between him and Howl. He willingly chose to go back. He sometimes wondered if that was the right decision as well.

Calcifer smiled weakly. "It can be."

Gwenda lifted her legs into the air, like a girl would when she was gossiping. "So, other than heating water and moving the castle and… well, and being a fire, what else can you do?"

Calcifer looked up to the ceiling. "You've pretty much seen the basis of my abilities. I can transport myself as long as there's a fireplace in that location, but I don't use that one save for drastic measures."

"What do you consider a drastic measure?"

Calcifer lowered his gaze. "When Sophie was trapped in the Palace, I used my teleportation to find her. I haven't needed to use it since."

Gwenda nodded. "Yeah, I would say that falls into the 'drastic measures' category. You have some interesting abilities."

"Most of my strength comes from others, actually." Calcifer continued. "From the day I met Howl, I was in control of his heart, which connected us in ways no one could truly understand. If I died, Howl would have died, too."

Gwenda widened her eyes, as if she saw a revelation. "So that's why he was so heartless before."

Calcifer chuckled. "In a way, I guess I contributed to the rumors of Howl's heartless behavior by concealing it from him."

"Why his heart, though?"

Calcifer took a long, deep breath. "It was his idea. Howl didn't want his emotions to interfere with his training, and by giving up his heart to me he essentially saved my life."

Gwenda smiled. "Well that's a good thing. I should thank him. I wouldn't have anyone to talk to if you weren't here. That, or I'd be talking to myself."

Calcifer rolled his eyes. "Well, anyway. He's changed a lot since Sophie relieved me of his heart."

Gwenda tilted her head. "Have you ever gotten your strength from anything else?"

Calcifer nodded. "When we were on the run during the first war, I couldn't move the castle without another source. I asked Sophie to give me her eyes, but instead she gave me her hair."

"Really?"

Calcifer smirked. "I could always take yours. Give you a haircut and a new look."

Gwenda laughed softly. Calcifer's fiery hands reached for her, moving closer to her braid but stopping before cutting anything. She could feel the heat emitting from his hands, so strange the way he could extend himself that way. He was not like the magicians she had come to know in the past.

Calcifer smiled. Just watching her laugh made him smile. His arms were so close to her, so close to embracing a person. He would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted. He returned his arms to the fire, but she didn't look afraid of him. She wasn't afraid of him hurting her.

Gwenda held her braid fondly. "I think for now I'll stick with the braid, but maybe I'll take you up on that offer at another time."

Heen wheezed as he stole Gwenda's attention. Her playful attitude sparked excitement in the little dog. He rolled on his back, begging for her to scratch his belly and behind the ears. Gwenda spoke in a high-pitched voice to Heen and he responded joyfully.

Calcifer stared at her, as if his eyes were recording her every motion for remembrance. The way she spoke to Heen that made the dog excited and request more attention from her; the way she wrapped the stray hairs behind her ear to keep them out of sight; the way she continually asked questions about him; he committed it all to memory.

Calcifer's fire brightened for a moment. Even with the little amount of firewood left, he felt his flames becoming stronger than when he had a fresh set of logs. He burned the remainder of the firewood faster than usual, the ashes rising and his stability decreasing. He reached for a new log to keep his structure. He inhaled as deeply as he could, holding his breath for a few seconds before exhaling gently.

Gwenda held her gaze on the dog, Heen resting against her gentle strokes. He stretched his legs and yawned before closing his eyes, preparing for sleep. Calcifer didn't know what to say anymore, so he simply said the first thing that popped into his head. "Tell me one thing you would never admit to."

Gwenda looked up and blinked. "Wouldn't I be admitting it then?"

Calcifer gave a relaxed smile. "C'mon, tell me one thing you've never told anyone before."

Gwenda cleared her throat as she adjusted her body. She moved the blanket over her feet more and then flipped the pillow over. She stared at the ground, her tongue poking at the corner of her mouth. Calcifer sat patiently in his fireplace, waiting for her answer.

Gwenda released a heavy sigh, her eyes rolling back. "I… I sort of had a…" She stopped herself, looking to the side whispering something inaudible, then returned. "I had a crush on the Prince."

Calcifer sat still in the fireplace. Gwenda laughed, her eyes staring at almost everything she could find in the living room except him. She wrapped a few stray hairs behind her ear, but Calcifer was too preoccupied with her answer to even register her movements.

Calcifer swallowed hard. "Prince Justin?"

Gwenda nodded and shrugged. "It was a silly crush. I didn't have actual feelings for him." She rested her chin in her palm and stared off to the side. "I don't know, I liked the way he looked at me and the compliments he gave me."

Calcifer didn't move. He watched Gwenda's actions from her casual shrug to her wandering eyes staring off into the distance. He dropped his gaze, listening carefully.

Gwenda coughed roughly. "Then he started dating Lettie and I… I forgot about it. Thank God I did, he ruined more than just my friendship with Lettie."

"What did he do?" Calcifer asked, his voice faint.

Gwenda narrowed her eyes to the corner. "He made me live it every single day. Justin made me his personal servant, probably because he knew I had taken a liking to him. I couldn't stand seeing him and Lettie flirt and be romantic all the time, and Suliman wouldn't let me quit on my own. She reeled everyone in and it was rare that anyone could get out unless fired. I watched them together every day for three months and it was torture."

The silence between the two was louder than anything either could have said. He had so many questions, all of which relating to Justin and how it was possible for Gwenda, this girl who always stood up for herself and defied the norm, could fall for an inconsiderate, maniacal human being such as him. The Prince of Ingary, the man who attempted to marry Sophie while she loved Howl, the man who apparently stole the hearts of so many without so much as a second glance.

Calcifer needed to know. "Did you love him?"

Gwenda shot her eyes back to him. He had never seen such fear in her eyes mixed with a sense of hatred. "I told you, it was just a silly crush."

Calcifer kept his eyes on her. "That doesn't sound like just a silly crush."

"How would you know?" Gwenda scoffed. "It's not like you've ever loved anyone before."

Calcifer widened his eyes. If he could feel pain, if he knew what a sharp knife in the heart felt like, this was it. The way she casually let the words roll off her tongue, as if she had stopped herself from saying it before, pierced him like a millions thorns. And it hurt more coming from her.

Gwenda bit her lip, completely appalled. "I… I'm so sorry, Calcifer. I don't know why I said that. I wasn't thinking."

"No." She watched his fire darken. His eyes turn cold as they stared into hers. "You're right. I'm just a fire demon. I can never feel what a human can, right?"

Gwenda opened her mouth to speak, but she was at a loss of words. She was angry; she unearthed everything she was feeling from her past and lashed out at Calcifer for no reason. Nothing she could do would reverse what she had said.

"Calcifer that's not-" A hard pounding on the door interrupted Gwenda's plea and startled her to her core. The knocking persisted, waking Heen from his calm slumber. He stood on shaky legs and wheezed toward the door.

"Heen, wait." Gwenda followed him, Calcifer watching from his place. She opened the door, her curiosity tempting her. "Sophie? Martha?"

It was only a second. One moment she stood in the doorway and the next she was pulled out, leaving behind a slamming door and a chilling scream. Heen scratched the door, wheezing his loudest.

"No!" Calcifer stared shellshocked, his mind trying to wrap around what he had just seen. Gwenda was taken; she was pulled out of the castle and taken away. "Help! Someone, anyone! Help!"

Calcifer pulled his fiery being as far out of the fireplace as he could, but his center was grounded in its place. He couldn't move; he was useless. He couldn't do anything to save her. He took in quick breaths, but his mind only thought of the worst thing that could happen.

He didn't want to lose her. He couldn't. He felt so warm when he was around her, so much different than how he felt around anyone else in his life. He was hurt when she said he had never loved anyone before.

Because for a moment, he thought he loved her.

"Calcifer!" Hasty footsteps tumbled down the staircase, Howl, Kenta, and Markl rushing to the fire. Heen approached them, gesturing toward the front door. "Calcifer, what happened?"

"Gwenda opened the door when she heard a knock. She thought it was Sophie and Martha." Calcifer's voice was shaky. "Someone just took her and she was gone."

Howl seethed. "You let Sophie leave the castle?"

Calcifer's fire burned red and extended outward. He bursted with rage. "She's been out of the castle for over an hour! Gwenda's the one in danger right now!"

From inside the castle, they could hear muffled screams and yelling. Kenta pulled Howl's arm as he rushed for the door. "C'mon, Howl. We need to help her." Kenta opened the door and rushed out, Markl and Howl close behind.

Calcifer stayed put, as did Heen. They could faintly hear the cries from the battle ensuing outside. His fire raged on with fear and anger and weakness. He hated not being able to help people. He hated not being able to touch people without burning them or fight off enemies or hold someone in his arms, embracing a living person.

"I hate being a fire demon." Calcifer whispered under his breath. He lessened his flames, gradually returning to his original color and size. There was nothing he could do but wait. Time had stopped and this was all he knew. He could move the castle; he could teleport miles away; but he couldn't save the one person he needed most in his life.

Calcifer turned when he saw a shadowy figure appear from the hallway. The Witch of the Wastes had woken up. She stared at Calcifer, her eyes never parting. Calcifer sighed and shook his head.

The door finally opened. Heen rushed over and greeted their friends, one by one as they entered. Calcifer looked at everyone who entered, keen on not missing a single face. Howl held Sophie as she panted and struggled to stand. He walked her to couch and sat her down gently, his eyes glaring at Calcifer. Markl then entered, his head low and his movements sluggish. He stood in the corner, no words spoken.

Kenta walked in and shut the door. He carried Martha unconscious, lying her on the couch next to Sophie. She ran her fingers through her sister's hair, begging her to wake up. No one else entered.

Calcifer panicked. "Where is Gwenda?"

Kenta cleared his throat. He bit his lip, avoiding eye contact with Calcifer. "That witch who attacked us before, Noe… she took her. We were too late to bring her back."

Calcifer dropped his jaw. Gwenda was gone. And while he continued to exist in the constraints of the fireplace, he remained a creature of limited purpose.

 **Calcifer... in love?! With Gwenda? What? Did anyone catch on? I put in a few pointers earlier in the story, but this is the big moment where he even realizes what's going on. He was still on the fence about if he had feelings for her or not. I've honestly been dying to put this chapter out because when I noticed they could have a romance, it just clicked in my mind. I really do want to know what you guys think about it, though. PM, review, I love hearing your thoughts.**

 **Now sadly, I have to go back to school tomorrow :( and actually write papers for my classes and not fanfiction :(( and then take finals and live at the library until I'm 100 :((((( Updates won't be back until mid-December, which was another reason why I wanted to get these chapters out. I really hope you're all enjoying the fanfic and I promise I will not stop writing it until it's done! Thank you for all the reads and all the love :)**


	12. Lost and Found

**Hello readers! It's been a couple weeks, hasn't it? I actually got this one out earlier than I thought. I have an exam tomorrow morning (it's at 8 o'clock, save me) but I had time over the weekend for some writing. Yay! This chapter is really short, sorry for all of you who were hoping for something more interesting. I just couldn't get that much into this one. But I hope you enjoy it and I'll be posting again this weekend after I'm home and done with my classes completely. Hooray for the end of the semester!**

The castle's atmosphere was uncomfortable and confining. Sophie thought the walls were closing in on them, shrinking the space they had and pushing everyone closer. She thought eventually, they would all diminish into nothingness, free from the distress and anxiety in the room. Her mind wrapped around what they had just witnessed, wishing things had turned out differently.

Calcifer was frantic. "Why didn't you stop her?"

He looked around the room, not one person daring to look him in the eye. Kenta swallowed hard before answering. "Noe had already disappeared before we could get to her. We followed them as far as we could, but Noe is a very skilled witch and knew exactly how to evade us."

Calcifer darted his eyes to everyone in the room. Kenta pressed two fingers between his lips, staring off into the distance away from the main area. The Witch of the Wastes held Heen in her lap, both gazing at the floor with melancholic eyes. Markl dropped to the ground, curling his arms around his knees and hiding his face. They could hear soft whimpers and sniffles, though he concealed his face from them. Howl held Sophie's shoulders, looking down at her. Martha lay unconscious, her head resting on Sophie's lap. She ran her fingers through her sister's hair, though her eyes watched Calcifer's, the only one brave enough to.

Calcifer looked to the wandering eyes and hidden faces and his fire boiled. His flames sparked out sporadically in an unfamiliar rage. His anger had never reached this point where his flames burned so red he looked like blood encompassed his being. He screamed and extended his flames outward, watching them spread across the room and burst into sparks of fire.

"Calcifer!" Howl shielded Sophie from the falling sparks, the others adjusting their position to avoid the tiny bits. A few sparks landed on Martha's cheek, the short bursts of extreme heat instantly waking her in shock. She slapped her face, attempting to wipe the pain away. She looked around the room, her mind racing.

Howl clenched his teeth. "Calcifer, Sophie is too close. If your sparks fly out of control again, you could hit her or the baby."

"Well then maybe you don't need me!" Calcifer shouted. "Maybe I'm just a burden for you and for everyone else here! Maybe if I was a human, I could have saved Gwenda!" He held the grates tightly, his muscles flaming colors of reds and oranges. He wanted to throw something, anything. He wanted to scream and yell and punch himself for not being able to do anything to stop that wretched witch from taking the one person who was able to steal his heart.

Gwenda, the girl with the long, beautiful blonde hair that she always held back in a perfect braid. Gwenda, the girl who spent her nights talking to him and only him, who matched his humor and sarcasm. Gwenda, the girl who said he couldn't love anyone.

Calcifer felt the need to cry, to burst into a stream of tears and drown himself in sorrow. He had no tears. He was fire; he was made of flames and powered by firewood that he burned into ashes. Instead, his fire turned blue and his flames slowly retreated. He was consumed by grief and loss.

Sophie recognized this from the time she poured water on him. At the time she thought she had killed him with what she believed was his only weakness. However, this was not a result of water. This was a heartbreaking torture.

She slowly stood up. Howl held her shoulder, but she gently removed his hand and walked over to Calcifer. She carefully brought her knees to the floor in front of the fireplace. He gazed at the ground, noticing her hand reach toward him. "Calcifer, you've become very close to Gwenda, haven't you?"

Calcifer shivered at the sound, nodding slowly. "If anything happens to her, it's my fault."

"You can't blame yourself, Calcifer." Sophie said. "There was nothing you could do."

Calcifer's color returned and he glared up. "Exactly!" Sophie bent backwards as his flames sparked once more, though she was unharmed. Howl took a step closer, but Kenta waved his hand, holding him back. Howl glared at the wizard from across the room, Kenta sending him a message to stay calm. Martha sat motionless, observing the events play out before her mind slipped away to a vision.

Calcifer sighed. "I'm just a simple fire demon. I can't do things like humans or magicians. I move the castle, I heat the baths, I obey the commands of my master's every wish…" Howl relaxed his muscles, Kenta following by relaxing his restraint on Howl. Howl watched Calcifer, hearing the grief in his voice. "I'm a slave and I always will be. For once, I just wanted to touch someone without the fear of hurting them."

The castle was dead inside. Not a single sound disturbed the uncomfortable peace between the residents. Wandering eyes turned to one another, this revelation of Calcifer's concealed feelings toward this human girl whom he had only met a few months prior quite shocking to those whose minds had only perceived him as an uptight, sarcastic fire demon.

Kenta took a step forward. He cleared his throat. "We'll bring her back, Calcifer. I promise."

Calcifer nodded, avoiding eye contact with anyone. The log beneath him cracked in half, though with the amount of ashes built over time, it hardly made a difference. He reached for the next log, a pair of hands already there for him. Sophie offered the fresh firewood to him, his fire growing from the new power source.

Howl took short steps toward Calcifer, bending down next to Sophie. His eyes exposed a vulnerability Calcifer remembered from a different time. When he chose to show them, his emotions were still that of his childlike innocence to which he abandoned years ago. Calcifer knew Howl's heart more than anyone - probably more than Howl did. However, he had not expected Howl to show a cognizance of Calcifer's heart.

"I'm sorry I've been so hard on you." Howl pulled the corner of his lips upward, a light smile present. "Calcifer, you know that you've been my best friend for years now."

Kenta coughed with exaggeration against Howl's labeling of best friend. Howl turned to him, Kenta's eyes now roaming around. Howl rolled his eyes and returned to Calcifer. "I never thought of you as a slave. You were my companion when I needed guidance or support or just a friend to talk to. You've always had a special place in my heart."

Calcifer chuckled, his first sign of contentment. "Mostly because I was in control of your heart for years, right?"

Howl laughed. "Maybe."

Martha stood up abruptly, all eyes turning to her. She rubbed her temple on both sides as she paced the floor, walking circles around the couch. Markl looked up from his crouched position. Heen raised his head to watch the little witch girl pace, the Witch stroking the back of his neck. Howl helped Sophie rise, both staring at Martha with concern.

"Martha?" Sophie asked. "What's wrong?"

Martha shot her gaze to the group, slowly dropping her hands. "I just received a vision."

Calcifer widened his eyes. "Did you see Gwenda?"

Martha sighed. "No, I'm sorry. But I did see the witch who took her."

"Where was she?" Kenta asked.

Martha closed her eyes, reliving the vision. "She was flying alone. I could see the Wastes in the background, part of the mountains. I don't know where she was going, but she said something about making Suliman proud for taking Gwenda."

Calcifer seethed. "This is all a game to them. As if her life doesn't matter."

Martha walked around the couch, stopping in front of Calcifer. She held the concrete fireplace firmly, her eyes set on his. "We will find her and we will bring her back. We will not let them win."

Howl and Kenta nodded, moving to stand next to Martha. Sophie helped Markl stand up, their hands intertwined. Heen jumped off of the Witch's lap and ran between Martha's legs, wagging his tail. The Witch rolled her eyes and pushed against the chair's arms, making her way to the fireplace. Calcifer smiled, the support of his family encouraging him not to give up and abandon Gwenda.

He closed his eyes. _I will find you. I will not rest until I find you again._

 **Geez, Calcifer can really get emotional, huh? But that's what makes him so lovable :) He is so determined to bring Gwenda back, but he's angry with himself more than anything right now. Poor guy :/ I just want you guys to know that I'm really planning on hunkering down this winter break and cracking out some chapters for you all. I get a month off, so I should hopefully get a good number of chapters written and posted. I love college breaks. Anyway, I need to go to the library and do some actual studying (what is studying?) Good luck to the rest of you punching through finals week (unless you're already done, then lucky you)!**


	13. Don't Forget Me

**Yay for winter break! My goodness, this was a long one to finish. I just started work and just when I thought I'd have more time to write, they take away half of my day. But it's a happy season so I'm gonna be positive! :) I hope you all are enjoying your breaks or the preparations for the holidays. I promised another chapter and I'm here to deliver! I'm a little surprised by the flashback I put in here, mostly because it's longer than most that I've written. I'll leave you guys to it now :)**

She thought it would be easy to forget; she thought she could move on from the betrayal. Yet every night, she dreamt of the last person in her life to walk away from her.

Gwenda had heard wonderful things about Market Chipping. Their economy was on the rise and the people were energetic and content. She had heard from dozens of people that this was the place to be to follow your passions.

While she didn't know what her passion was, Gwenda needed a change in scenery. The apartment she used to share with Lona was becoming too empty and melancholy to stay. After Lona left her to live with that wizard, Gwenda cried nearly every night wishing she had changed her mind. Lona was literally the only other person in her life. Her own sister abandoned her for blind love. She couldn't imagine loving someone enough to leave those who have been around since childhood.

Two months later the lease ended and she was gone. Gwenda hopped on the earliest train heading out of Porthaven and rode until she couldn't see the waterfront. The train went through the Coast and into the Folding Valley. When the conductor announced their arrival to Market Chipping, Gwenda felt impulsed to get off.

She smiled like a child in a candy store as she stepped off the platform with her one suitcase. The city was bustling with so many people, even this late in the evening. The sun hung just above the tallest building, which were nowhere near the heights of Kingsbury. They weren't too different in size from Porthaven, though Market Chipping's businesses were more enclosed. One thing Gwenda enjoyed about the Coast was that most of the markets were outside by the piers, overlooking the vast ocean with the light from the sun dancing over the waves.

Gwenda shook her head. Porthaven was in the past; this was a new and exciting adventure for her.

"Hurry! Lettie's about to close the bakery!" Gwenda turned to a group of young men in formal suits running toward a long shop. A few men wearing aprons began closing the umbrellas over the outdoor seating. She turned to the sign: _Good Cooking Pan Bakery_. She then saw the sign underneath: _Now Hiring_.

Gwenda raised her eyebrows. "May as well look for something now."

She trotted over, suitcase in hand, passing by extravagant ladies in eccentric hats. Gwenda hadn't seen hats like these in Porthaven; they were tacky and peculiar, something she would see her mother's friends wearing when they used to live in Kingsbury. Their flashy purses and ornamented gowns were a cheap trick; Gwenda knew faulty riches when she saw them. She witnessed the fraudulent lifestyle in her own mother. The women looked exactly like her - hiding behind the facade of a sophisticated, wealthy broad.

Gwenda pushed through the crowd of suitors as they congested the entrance to the bakery, all holding flowers or whistling loudly. Gwenda was cramped inside the crowd, bodies leaning forward, pushing and pulling her in and out. She groaned loudly, wishing she was shorter. She would have crawled through if she could. Most of the men were taller than she was, though not by much. Men were always intimidated by her height.

"We're closed." A man wearing a bakery apron and hat said, attempting to close the doors on the eager customers. His voice was deep and crass. "Come back tomorrow."

A large sigh exhaled from the crowd. Gwenda was so close to the door, with only one person blocking her way. He tried pleading with the baker. "But we want to see Lettie."

The baker narrowed his eyes. "She will still be here tomorrow. We need to close for the night."

As he shut the door, Gwenda slipped passed the suitor and landed in the baker's arms, holding him for balance. He frowned. "I assume you're not here to gawk at our favored employee."

Gwenda panted loudly, dropping her suitcase and resting a hand on the baker's shoulder. "No. I just came to Market Chipping today. I saw your sign and wanted to apply for the job."

The baker narrowed his eyes, removing her hand from his shoulder. Gwenda stood straight, noticing the baker's pessimistic appearance. He crossed his arms, looking down at her. "You'll need to talk with Lettie about that. I don't hire staff outside of the kitchen."

Gwenda chuckled. "Who, the girl all those guys were drooling over? She's in charge?"

The baker raised one eyebrow. "She's our hardest worker. She runs the main floor, just promoted last month."

Gwenda continued laughing, but after seeing the baker's stern face she slowly died it into a loud cough. "Oh, um, well… I guess I'll go talk to her then."

The baker turned and walked away. Gwenda picked up her suitcase and followed him until the swinging door that led into the kitchen. He stopped her with his hand. "Only employees allowed in the back."

Gwenda crossed her arms and huffed. Maybe it was a long day or the customers were more demanding than usual, but his attitude was more negative than Gwenda's normally was. Questions flooded into her mind about the job - the long hours, the rude customers, the cheap tips. She had worked in the food industry before, and it never excited her. She almost reconsidered applying for the job.

Gwenda placed her suitcase on the floor and rested against a dining table with two chairs folded upside-down on the tabletop. This was a fresh start; a chance to put the past in the past and never look back. Everyone she had ever known had already done the same to her - now it was her chance to leave them behind.

Gwenda heard someone push the swinging door and turned to her. A short, pretty girl stood before her. Lettie, the baker had said. Her hair was curled into a long bun. Her eyes were a light blue, like the sky in the morning. Gwenda's eyes were blue, but not to that caliber. She wore a long pink dress with an apron that only she could make appear stylish. The ruffles on the sides added a dramatic touch to the outfit. It was as if she wasn't working in a bakery; more like a design studio.

"Hi, I'm Lettie. It's so nice to meet you." Lettie held Gwenda's hand with both of hers, shaking them up and down rapidly. "Greg said you were interested in a job here. I've had that sign up for weeks and you're the first to ask about it."

Gwenda raised an eyebrow. "Really? You get a lot of customers, I'm surprised no one bothered to apply."

Lettie giggled softly. "Well, people like to buy things from us, not many are interested in work." She took the chairs down from the table and gestured for Gwenda to sit. "So, why don't you begin with telling me a bit about yourself, huh?"

That question always frightened her. It was a trick question - sure, the employers wanted to know about her but they wanted to know the things that would improve their business. To them, she was disposable.

Gwenda cleared her throat. "Well, my name is Gwendolyn, but I prefer to be called Gwenda. Before moving to Market Chipping, I worked in Porthaven on the docks."

Lettie smiled. "Really? What type of work?"

"I worked in a fish market. Taking the fresh catches off the boat, cleaning them, and making them ready to sell that morning."

Lettie nodded. "Do you have any experience in customer service?"

Gwenda froze. She was not a people person; that was a fact. But she needed a job. She didn't want to lie, but she needed a job.

The way Lettie's face lit up during their interview made Gwenda feel guilty for wanting to stretch the truth. She seemed like a nice girl, young and innocent. Gwenda remembered those days before things changed. Before people left.

Gwenda sighed. "Well, I worked there for about three years and then… well, then I moved here. I haven't really had much experience anywhere else."

Lettie's face dropped. Gwenda shrugged her shoulders, her assumptions of the results of this interview looking dim. It was worth a shot to ask.

"We don't mind training you." Gwenda darted her eyes to Lettie, her soft smile back in its place. "We need the help and I can train you myself. It's not as hard as it seems."

Gwenda's hands started to shake, her legs wobbly. She would have fallen if she stood up. "You… you mean you'll hire me? Without the experience you're looking for?"

Lettie waved her off. "We just ask that to see if we need to train someone or if they're okay with jumping right into things. It only takes about a week and then you can start doing things on your own."

Gwenda sat in her chair for a while, the news quite shocking to her. Lettie stood up, her hand held for a handshake, but Gwenda bolted out of her seat and embraced her. Lettie stood motionless, but quickly warmed up to her.

Gwenda took in long, deep breaths. "You have no idea how much this means to me. I promise, I won't let you down. I promise."

"I know you'll do a great job." Lettie nudged her a little and Gwenda released her embrace. "Now, why don't you go home and rest up? We open at six."

Gwenda chuckled softly. "Right, home."

Lettie crinkled her eyebrows. "Something wrong?"

Gwenda widened her eyes and shook her head. "Oh, no. It's fine. I was just wondering if you knew of any places to rent." Lettie seemed confused, so Gwenda motioned to her suitcase on the floor. "When I said I moved here from Porthaven, I should have mentioned that I moved here today. I don't have a place to live yet."

Lettie stood still, simply staring at Gwenda. Her wide eyes were somewhat intimidating to Gwenda. She couldn't read Lettie's thoughts; she couldn't even assume them. Lettie shrugged her shoulders. "This might sound crazy, but I have an extra room upstairs. I'd be willing to let you stay until you can find your own place."

Gwenda bobbed her head back. This girl, younger than she was, offered her a job and a place to stay in less than ten minutes. "You are probably the most generous person I know."

Lettie laughed. "Are you accepting my offer?"

Gwenda shook her head. "I don't know if you can tell, but I'm a little desperate at this point. I'll take whatever offer comes first."

Lettie walked to the front doors and locked them, then led Gwenda to the stairwell that led to the upstairs apartments. She opened the door, letting Gwenda enter first.

"My room is down the hall to the left, and yours will be across from that."

"I honestly cannot thank you enough." Gwenda said. "This is more than anyone has ever done for me. You're a very trusting girl, aren't you?"

Lettie laughed. "I just like to see the good in people, that's all."

"Well, humans are fine." Gwenda shrugged. "I wouldn't trust a wizard with my life."

"Wizards?" Lettie widened her eyes. "I wouldn't let a wizard within fifteen meters of this place."

Gwenda smiled. "Really?"

Lettie scoffed. "They're terrible. I've only seen them do terrible things. My sister just ran into one the other day, the Wizard Howl, and now she's disappeared."

Gwenda covered her mouth. "I'm so sorry."

Lettie shook her head, holding back tears. "I just wished she had been more careful. Wizards are nothing but trouble."

Gwenda nodded. "My sister ran off with a wizard recently. Like mother like daughter, I guess."

Lettie frowned. "The way they can manipulate us is frightening. I'll never trust a wizard."

Gwenda agreed. Wizards, witches, demons - they were all the same. They abused their power over humans and each other. If Gwenda ever found an honest, decent magician, he would probably be manipulating her.

(—)

Her eyes shot open. The room was blurred, the lights flickering to the beat of her racing heart. She felt nauseous; her stomach curled inside of her from the lack of food intake. How long was she out? Where was she?

Gwenda blinked a few times to clear her vision, now able to see the contents of the room. Everything felt like ice. The fireplace in front of her was empty, the brick lined one by one up to the ceiling. A couple ashen logs lay in the fire pit, though the freezing temperature gave her the assumption that no one had used it in a long time.

She raised her hands to rub her temple, the chilling shackles around her wrists catching her by surprise. She shivered from the touch of icy metal on her skin. Gwenda followed the chain to where it rooted at the end of a bed. She pushed on her feet to stand, but her legs dropped to the floor in weakness. She landed on her palms, right before hitting a broken glass picture. She lifted the picture, her eyes widening from seeing who it was.

"No." Gwenda whispered, the highest volume she could reach. She dropped the picture of Kenta and Lona with the mountains from the Wastes in the background, letting it fall to the ground. She looked around the room again. Bed, fireplace, large window outlooking the countryside. And in the distance, the mountains moving in the Wastes.

"Why would I be in Kenta's home?" Gwenda remembered when they came here while looking for her sister, though the place was just as destroyed as she remembered. Her last memories were a bit foggy, and she couldn't remember how she got there.

"Good morning, sunshine." Gwenda turned to the fireplace, an image of Calcifer appearing and disappearing all in one second. She was hoping for a friendly face, but instead was greeted by a young witch with a broomstick. The sight of her brought back the memories she had forgotten.

Gwenda seethed though her teeth. "You."

Noe smirked. "Looks like you had a nasty fall."

"Yeah, well that's what happens when a snotty witch kidnaps you." Gwenda moved her arms, noticing a large cut in the right sleeve of her jacket. "And you ruined my new jacket, too."

Noe giggled like a child. "Oh sweetheart, that's not all I'm going to do to you." She set her broomstick against the doorway and waltzed toward Gwenda. She knelt in front of her and, with quick fingers, snatched her messy braid and pulled down. Gwenda yelped as her chin reached upward, slowing inching farther up as Noe pulled harder.

Noe sneered at her. "From this point until your friends bargain with Madame Suliman - if they do - you are her prisoner, and I'm under no obligation to make you feel at home."

Gwenda grabbed Noe's collar with her shackled hands and slammed her head against hers, sending Noe backwards in a disoriented state. Gwenda's head throbbed, as if she had just thrown a rock at herself. She rubbed her temple before noticing that her hair was unraveling and flowed to the ground.

Noe shook her head to return back to a normal state of mind. Gwenda stood up, feeling more strength than before. Her arms pulled straight from the chains as she glared at Noe. "What do you mean _if_ my friends come? Of course they will." Gwenda lowered her gaze. At least, she hoped they would. She thought they were all close enough at this point. She would risk her life for them; she had on multiple occasions.

She hadn't realized before how much she had given to them. She disobeyed Suliman to save Sophie, this girl she had only just met. She only saved her because of Lettie; Lettie knew Suliman was up to no good. She remembered one of the last conversations she had with Lettie ended with her asking Gwenda to make sure Suliman kept her distance from her family. It was the last promise she fulfilled for Lettie.

People had a habit of leaving her, yet Gwenda found herself doing everything she could to keep them from following the same pattern. She didn't want to lose them, too.

Noe push against the brick fireplace and waved her hands over Gwenda, forcing her back onto the ground. Noe sneered at her. "You'd think they would, but it's a pretty high bargain. You, in exchange for that baby."

"Why do you want Sophie's child? What can Suliman gain from-" Gwenda looked up, paralyzed. A wizard's child, a new line of magic ready to be born in only a month now. And not just any wizard - Howl. Suliman could do a lot of damage with that.

Noe flipped one of her pigtails and giggled. "Figuring it out, huh? Suliman's been plotting this since before Howl and Sophie even met."

Gwenda stared at the ground, her eyes fixed on the specks of dirt surrounding her. "How could she have known they would fall in love?"

"She has her ways." Noe twirled around back to the doorway, the edge of her dress hitting Gwenda across the cheek. She turned back, her smile wide. "As do I. Like your friend who was too weak to attack me, my skill is fortunetelling."

Gwenda glared at Noe. "Martha is a Seer. I don't know what the hell you are."

Noe narrowed her eyes. "I'm the person you should be afraid of." She raised her hand, Gwenda's mimicking her motions. She jolted and Gwenda's hand twisted around itself, Gwenda shrieking from the pain. She held her broken hand with the other, biting her lip to hold back the tears.

Noe giggled with her high-pitched voice and waved before leaving. "Ciao."

When she shut the door, Gwenda burst into tears. She could barely move her hand. Her fingers stuck out in ways she never thought was possible. Noe was evil; she was worse than most magicians Gwenda had known or heard of. She was nothing compared to the rumors of Howl or the beliefs she had had of Kenta. She was a true follower of Suliman.

The harsh winds blew against the window, the clinking glass sending chills down Gwenda's spine. She remembered when Markl held her captive, when he was under the impression that she was there to steal Howl's secrets or expose the castle. He wasn't nearly this harsh with her. She at least had a warm fire by her.

Gwenda widened her eyes. Calcifer. She had said such horrible things to him right before she was taken. She could visualize the look on his face after she had spoken, his broken gaze turning cold and he became frightening to look at. She repeated the words in her head over and over again, each time sounding worse than the last.

 _How would you know? It's not like you've ever loved anyone before._

Her lips trembled. How could she have said that? She knew she was angry with him; she couldn't recall another time she was that enraged by something Calcifer had said. He kept pressing her about her long-forgotten feelings for Prince Justin, and the memory of him only boiled her blood further. Justin was arrogant and rude, yet somehow he still knew how to reel her back to him.

Gwenda rested her head against the bed post, curling her knees closer to her stomach. There were days when she would bring Justin his fresh laundry or was assigned to clean the Royal Family's quarters and he would compliment her. It was always something simple, like her hair looked nice or he enjoyed her smile. Even after he had started a relationship with Lettie, Justin still made her feel like she was the one he loved. Gwenda shook her head in fear - she fell for his little tricks every single time.

She turned to the fireplace, wishing she saw the sweet, quirky fire demon she had grown close to instead of the desolate, ashen void before her. She didn't mean to say those things to him, but he was speaking the truth - a truth she had avoided for far too long. Justin had taken advantage of her feelings for him. She hated him; she felt more enraged by him than when her sister left, than when her mother left, than when Calcifer opened her eyes to the feelings she had locked away and pushed away far from her heart.

Gwenda let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Calcifer. You were right." She wished he was there with her, comforting her during this. She was afraid of what Noe and the other wizards would do to her. They could starve her or use her as a human puppet for their magic tricks. They were the very magicians she had been afraid of for years, and the magicians she assimilated into that group were the ones she should have trusted from the beginning.

She turned to the window, the clouds hovering over the moon. The sky was dark and the Wastes seemed farther away than ever. She clenched her fists tightly, shivering from the frigid room. "Please come for me."

 **So, what's the verdict? Think her new friends will risk everything to save her? With her past, I wonder how long she'll hold out hope for. Gwenda has found herself in a bit of a pickle here. But, at least she admitted to her previous feelings for Justin (that man just keeps getting the ladies, doesn't he?) This chapter was mostly comprised of my OCs, so I'm a little curious to hear what you guys think about that. Personally, I love OCs but I don't want them to take away from the main characters. Anyway, thanks for reading and updates will be as fast as I can after work, family, Christmas planning, etc. So much going on right now. But I am determined! :)**


	14. Know Your Place

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Today was wonderful, and I can't believe I actually had time to write! It's pretty late here, though. I should go to bed soon. But I couldn't go to bed without giving you all a Christmas gift! (P.S. this chapter has nothing to do with Christmas, sorry!). A little different from my other ones, but I hope things make a little more sense!**

There was something about him that she couldn't help but find deeply unappealing. Every time her mother sent her on the carriage to the Kingsbury Palace to spend time with Owen, Sophie felt a queasy feeling in her stomach. She loathed the days that they spent together. It wasn't hard to pinpoint his flaws; it was much more difficult to find something that she actually liked about him.

"And after lessons with mother I usually spend time in the library to improve my skills." Owen gestured Sophie into the Grand Library, the number of books surpassing the amount she expected there to be in the world. Shelves lined from the floor to the ceiling on each wall except the one with the windows encasing the whole of the wall. There were tables and desks and couches, where she noticed one of the princes sitting and reading. She hadn't talked to the princes much after the ball they attended - her time in the last four years was spent with Owen, getting to know her future husband.

"Justin, nice to see you again." Owen bowed slightly to the prince, Sophie following with a curtsy.

Justin nodded, then focused on Sophie. He raised his eyebrows. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance again, Miss Hatter."

Sophie's lips trembled. She remembered her mother's words on how to reply when approached by a royal figure. She forced a smile. "The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness."

Justin nodded and returned to his book. Owen stretched his hand out for Sophie, who hesitated before lightly accepting his gesture. He led her to the large window, motioning for her to sit on the red armchair. She obeyed.

The windows revealed the whole of the capital city. Kingsbury was beautiful; Sophie felt lucky to be able to visit simply because she felt endeared by the capital. It was much busier than Market Chipping, people bustling around and active from the moment she arrived at the Palace to the moment when she would leave. It was magnificent.

"Kingsbury is very beautiful." Sophie said, her voice so soft she thought he may not have heard her.

Owen coughed. "It's all right. I've been to places much greater than here. The mountains of Fiyaj, the rainforests of Monguru… those are the places you want to see. Once you've been there a while, though, they kind of bore you."

Sophie nodded, though she didn't quite understand how anyone could live in a city this grand and become bored of it. She couldn't understand how those faraway places with mountains and rainforests could seem dull. Every time she entered the capital city, she felt this enchantment and wonder that could not be found in Market Chipping.

And here was Owen, given everything he had asked for since he was born, and still never satisfied.

Sophie gulped. "I wonder what it would be like to visit those places."

Owen titled his head, a sharp smile on his face. "Maybe someday you will."

As Sophie saw his smile, she froze. She imagined her future with him - going to exotic places and watching him increase his skills; bearing his children to become as powerful as him; becoming a housewife.

She didn't want this. She didn't want a life dictated by the will of others, a puppet in the hands of those with more power. Her mother, Owen, Madame Suliman.

Madame Suliman. Standing proudly in the doorway, wearing an exquisite blue gown. Her attire always seemed to dress like she was attending a royal ball or special occasion. She stood there against the door, her eyes fixed on the two sitting by the window.

Prince Justin had left. Sophie didn't know when or how she hadn't noticed, but she now found herself alone with those she feared the most.

"Good afternoon, Sophie." She said, slowly walking toward them. "So nice of you visit."

Sophie nodded rapidly. "Of course. It's my pleasure…er, the pleasure is all mine."

Madame Suliman laughed lightly. "Your mother must have taught you a few phrases to say during your time here." Sophie's cheeks turned red, though Madame Suliman had turned away, Sophie hoping she hadn't taken notice. "Owen, darling. Would you be a dear and bring Sophie and me some refreshments? I'm sure she could use something to eat right about now."

Owen stood up and bowed to her and Sophie before departing from the room. Sophie felt tense as Madame Suliman walked toward the large window, her hands held behind her back as she stared at the vast city. She wasn't sure whom she feared more - Owen or his mother.

"You like it here, don't you?" Madame Suliman said, her gaze still focused on the city. "You've been visiting quite often."

Sophie twiddled with her fingers. "Well, my mother thinks I need to spend more time with Owen… to get to know him better."

Suliman took in a long breath. "I enjoy you two spending so much time together."

Sophie nodded, forgetting that the Royal Sorceress couldn't see her. Madame Suliman turned around, her smile soft and caring, yet Sophie couldn't help the chills that ran up her arms.

She stopped in front of her, bending down to Sophie's height in the chair. She titled her head, similar to Owen. "You like my son, do you not?"

Sophie clenched her fists, though forced a contented smile on her face. She knew exactly what to say. "Owen is a very nice boy."

(—)

She slammed the door shut behind her, a vicious grin clearly present. She was pleased with how she made that human girl feel weak and vulnerable. There was a certain satisfaction that came with exhibiting even the basis of her abilities and watching her opponents cower in fear. She was in control; she was in charge.

Noe set her broomstick against the line of bricks that stuck out of the wall for the fireplace. She rubbed her temple, wishing she had blocked that attack before Gwenda had made her move. She saw a stubbornness inside of Gwenda. She didn't how she let her slide with that one blow. Noe hadn't expected her to fight back; she had underestimated her. Gwenda was tough, and it would take a while before she would break, but Noe was willing to do whatever it took to please the Madame.

Noe heard laughter and a clanking of glasses. Nade and Xarx sat at the round table, enjoying their drinks with a deck of cards. Noe fumed at them. "You know, it would be nice if you two would help me with some of the work. I was the one who found this place to hide the girl _and_ kidnapped her. All you two have done is gotten comfortable with your drinks and laziness."

Nade looked up, his cool smile perked at one side of his face. "C'mon, sweetheart. We're doing the best we can."

Noe groaned. "Nade, you have done nothing since we found this dump."

Xarx shuffled the deck. "Again, remind me why we can't just stash the girl at the Palace? There is way more security there."

"Don't you dimwits listen to the Royal Sorceress? Ever?" Nade and Xarx shook their head. Noe rolled her eyes. "Madame Suliman knows they'll look there first. They were able to get that Sophie girl out the first time and she doesn't want to risk that happening again."

Noe wondered why Madame Suliman had placed her with these two idiots for something as crucial as this. They knew she was determined to be at the Madame's highest ranking and would do anything to achieve that goal, so when it came time for important missions she was left to do the majority of the work while they took partial credit. They didn't deserve working under someone as prestigious as Madame Suliman.

Xarx set the deck of cards on the table and pushed himself to stand up. "I'm going to take a leak." He entered the restroom and shut the door, leaving Nade and Noe alone.

Nade turned to the door where Gwenda was held captive. He cracked his knuckles and sighed. "She's kind of cute, that little human girl."

Noe glared at him. She pointed her finger. "Don't touch her. She's a prisoner, not a prostitute."

Nade chuckled and threw his hands up. "C'mon, sweetheart. Can't I just flirt around?"

"Not with prisoners."

Nade narrowed his eyes at the bedroom door and shook his head. He took a quick sip of his drink. "That pregnant one should have just listened to the Madame when she proposed a marriage with Prince Justin. I was fine in my little cage. I hate having to actually do something."

Noe turned to him in disbelief. "God, you are so lazy. And lucky for me, I was never caged like an animal."

Nade snorted. "Oh yeah? What made you so special?"

Noe smiled wide, her back naturally straightening. "Madame Suliman put me on reconnaissance. Due to my stellar abilities, we were able to track everything in Howl Pendragon's household since Justin's final proposal."

Just as Nade prepared a snide response, they both felt the ground rumble. The furniture vibrated and the light fixtures wobbled in their places. Noe prepared a fighting stance in the instance that Howl and his friends had somehow discovered their hiding place. Nade stood behind her, his eyes scanning the room for any intruders. Xarx exited the restroom, his senses heightened and searching for anything out of the ordinary.

The three magicians slowly walked toward the front window, expecting to see Howl and Kenta on the offensive.

"Good evening." Nade and Xarx jumped from the sound of the Madame's voice coming from behind them, their pulses racing against each other. Noe turned on her toes, her dress flowing in a circle. She was not surprised in the slightest that Madame Suliman paid them a visit. She had foreseen her visitation moments before it occurred.

"Madame Suliman." Xarx fell to one knee, resting his arm over and bowing. Nade and Noe soon followed. "It is an honor to be in your presence."

Madame Suliman held a straight posture, her red gown flowing down to her ankles. Her hair was manicured so firmly and exquisitely. She walked with pride anywhere she went. Noe was always impressed by her beauty in her elderly age. She wanted to be like her in so many ways.

However, the Madame was not there to receive praise. She wanted results.

"I assume the mission went as planned, yes?" Madame Suliman turned her eyes to Noe. Somehow, she appeared proud and intimidating from the same view. "Seeing as you were top of your class, dearest Noe, I expect great accomplishments from you."

Noe cleared her throat and stood up. "Madame, even though we couldn't capture Sophie, as would have been the preferred target, we were able to take a close acquaintance of hers. A girl named Gwenda."

Suliman frowned at the sound of the girl's name. "Yes, one of my previous servants." She walked up to Noe, holding her chin softly. "You are my prize witch for a reason, dearest Noe. You will be rewarded wonderfully for your deeds."

Nade shot his head up, appalled by her words. He stood up next to Noe, Xarx quickly following suit. Nade gestured to himself and Xarx. "What about us? We fought Howl and Kenta, too!"

Suliman gracefully turned her head to the wizards, her adoration forming into disappointment. "It seems to me that locking you in those cages has made you both very… lethargic. And if you will act as such, I have no purpose to keep you."

Madame Suliman raised her arm, sending Xarx and Nade to their knee by their own free will. Not because she forced them, but simply because they were afraid of how she would dispose of them.

"Please, Madame." Xarx said, his voice trembling. "We have failed you, we understand. Give us one last chance to prove our worth to you and we will not disappoint."

Xarx heard a short laugh escape from Noe, nothing short of what he expected. Nade clenched his teeth, though he hid his emotions well from the Madame. He knew his submission to failure on both of their accounts was far from what Nade believed, but Xarx knew it to be true. They had failed her.

Madame Suliman stared at them for what seemed like ages. The cottage was quiet, no sound coming from the wizards or the proud witch or the helpless human girl locked in the next room. Not even a whisper of sound from the Madame herself. The silence was punishment enough. Their fate was unknown, hanging on the balance of Madame Suliman's decision.

She sighed exhaustively. "I will grant you one last opportunity." Nade and Xarx breathed sighs of relief. Xarx looked up to Noe as she rolled her eyes, turning away from them. The Madame continued. "I have another task for you both to complete. Noe will not take any part in this; I want to see dedication from you two."

Nade nodded. "Of course, Madame. What is it that you wish from us?"

Madame Suliman paced toward the front window, her eyes gazing over the fields of grain. So much farmland in this part of the country, she noticed. She rarely came to this area, and was now discovering how much she had pushed aside to focus on more important issues. She had wondered why the doves of Kingsbury had flocked away, why they hadn't stayed close to their home. Yet here they were, pecking into the dirt of a lowly farm town.

She turned to the boys. "Capture each and every one of the doves that reside in this area. Not a single one will be forgotten. If you are short by even one, the punishment will not be pleasurable."

Xarx looked up, his eyes gleaming. "What for?"

Madame Suliman crooked her smile. "That is my business." And with that, a smoky cloud erupted from her feet and covered her entirely. As the smoke disappeared, they noticed that she had with it.

Noe crossed her arms. "Well, better get to it."

Nade stretched his arms, waving his hands toward the fireplace. A warm flame appeared, bringing heat to the desolate room. He snapped his fingers and a cot appeared near the fire, a pillow and cotton blanket perfectly set atop.

He jumped on the cot, the springs squeaking from his weight. "Ah, we can wait until morning. The Madame knows we need strength."

Noe turned to Xarx, who merely shrugged and snapped his fingers, producing the same cot and falling onto the soft mattress. Nade chuckled at Noe's temper before turning over and closing his eyes.

Noe stood at the windowsill, watching the doves flock and fly and peck at the ground. She rested her chin in the palm of her hand, wondering what plan Madame Suliman had up her sleeve.

Doves - what an odd request. They were such peaceful creatures, wielding a pure innocence that Noe had left behind years ago. She couldn't remember how she lost it - only that the feeling was so far gone she didn't want to remember the word's meaning.

She jolted as one of the doves landed on the windowsill. While her instincts told her to capture the white-feathered bird, she held herself back due to Madame Suliman's direct instructions.

 _Noe will not take any part in this; I want to see dedication from you two._

She pushed the window up enough for the dove to be within arm's reach. She slowly reached her hand forward, surprised that the bird was willing to let a person pet her. Her feathers were gorgeous, a white so clean she shined like the moon. But what really stood out to Noe was the oddity of her eye color. Since when did birds' eyes burn a fiery red?

 **A different perspective... I was kind of excited to write Noe's perspective on the situation. She is so determined to become Madame Suliman's right-hand man (woman? witch? I don't know). And Suliman's request for the doves... a little strange. Noe doesn't even get it. All will be cleared up in the next chapter. So until then, enjoy the last few days of this year!**

 **RANDOM FACT: Noe, Nade, and Xarx were three names on a list I made of weird names I wanted to use in future books. Other names on that list include: Anfel, Yongue, and Nibuca. I thought their names worked well together, though. I used Xarx in a book I wrote years ago but never published or did anything with. The best way I wrote these (and a lot of my made up words and places) was to just randomly press the keys and then put vowels where I thought they worked. It's really fun, try it!**


	15. Haunting Past

**What's up readers? I am so excited! I worked all morning on this and was completely blown away when I noticed I finished the chapter. Contrary to the previous chapter, we will see our main characters this time (yay!). We also see a character who hasn't really shown up a lot in this story for the intro, and we discover why she's been so hard to find... I might be giving away to much information. Arghh well here you go! Enjoy!**

 _Dearest Lona,_

 _You mean the world to me…_

 _…There is nothing I can do…_

 _…I must report to the Palace when summoned…._

 _…This will not be forever, I promise…_

She must have read the letter a million times since coming home. His beautiful handwriting was covered in her teardrops, the words smearing and becoming harder to read. It had to be this way; she knew that. Somehow, though, she thought he would have stayed.

Lona wiped her eyes. She couldn't act this way. She needed to be strong. Though the tears had stopped, the redness under her eyes wouldn't go away for a while. Madame Suliman had requested his services in the war, and while she was against the war entirely, she understood that he had no such power to deny her. It was the price of apprenticing under such a prestigious teacher, Kenta had said before.

She read the last line once more. _This will not be forever, I promise._ The ring he had left on the table with the note was the only solace she had of him ever returning to her. The hints of diamond crested into the ring were the type of simplistic beauty Lona adored. She had already placed it on her finger, admiring the glistening stones. They weren't very rich, but she assumed this ring had taken a large portion of the money they had saved.

She laughed lightly. She was talking as if they were already married. It seemed that way, though. Everyone in their town called them Mr. and Mrs. Lee. She had been asked why there wasn't a ring on her finger before, and she would merely say that they couldn't afford one at the time.

Now, he had proposed to her. Indirectly, of course, but he had meant to do so.

Lona shook her leg up and down, the thought of Kenta fighting in a war terrifying to her. Madame Suliman must have known he was special, otherwise she wouldn't have chosen him to join her army. He would survive this; he would come back to her.

She only had this beautiful ring as hope for his return.

Lona heard a knock. She jolted her gaze to the door, her limbs shaking. She was still in shock of Kenta's hasty departure.

She wiped her eyes again, hoping her emotions wouldn't burst through. "I'll be right there." She walked toward the door, primping her dress and flipping her long hair back. She opened the door.

Lona had expected her friends Zedda and Ann to arrive for their social, though neither stood on the other side. A large woman in a lingering, violet gown smiled eerily, her fur hat covering half of her face and her auburn red hair. Her jewelry was enchanting, something Lona could never dream of owning. Her complexion was stunning and intimidating all the same.

Lona raised her eyebrows. "Oh, hello."

The woman looked around the interior, avoiding eye contact. "Is this the home of Kenta Lee?"

Lona opened the door wider. She knew Kenta. "Yes. I'm his… his wife." It felt nice to say that. His wife. Kenta's wife. She could wait for him to return; she would wait a million years for him.

The woman caught her gaze. Her smile dropped. "Sorry, darling."

Lona crinkled her brow. "For what?"

The woman raised her hand. The cottage began to shake. "For getting involved."

Lona turned around, noticing the furniture and decorations fidgeting in their places. The picture frames on the fireplace mantel vibrated toward the edge, a couple smashing to the ground, the glass cracking into puzzle pieces. Lona gaped at the commotion. "What's happening?"

Lona turned back to the woman and thought her mind was playing tricks on her. She was transparent, the shadow of a body yet the exterior was clearly visible through her. She extended her gown outward, her body reaching forward and passing directly through her. Lona screeched, feeling her body reacting oddly. She was shaking, her body forcibly moving her limbs to curl down.

The woman sighed. "I'm just following orders."

Lona looked down, white feathers appearing and covering her fingers, her hands, her arms. She was shrinking.

She caught one last glimpse of the woman in violet, her eyes pleading with her. "Who are you?"

Her chin raised, though her eyes glared down at the poor human girl now transformed. Her visage was emotionless. "They call me the Witch of the Waste."

(—)

"I saw her."

Calcifer's eyes beamed to the teenage witch, who had been concentrating her mind on their missing companion for the last two weeks. Martha had not received a premonition regarding Gwenda during that time, only a couple from future events that were too far away to worry about. She had focused all of her energy on finding Gwenda. Now, they were ready to take action.

Calcifer halted the castle abruptly, having been on a constant motion since Gwenda's kidnapping. The residents held onto whatever sturdy object was near them. Howl held Sophie, keeping her grounded on the couch. Markl instinctively cast a spell, making his feet cling to the floor, like a sticky glue. Kenta was caught off guard and fell backwards against Martha, knocking them both to the floor. Heen clawed at the Witch's leg, his wheezing more rapid than normal.

The Witch held a cigar in her mouth, her typical smile glued to her face. "Well, that was exciting, wasn't it?" She took in a long inhale of the cigar, exhaling a cloud of smoke with a peaceful visage. Heen jumped off of her as she exhaled, running toward Markl as he unglued his feet. The smoke travelled to Sophie, who coughed away from those around her. Howl looked between her and the Witch, not questioning his motives when he snatched the cigar from her mouth. The Witch pursed her lips, her eyes narrowed at Howl.

"You can use these in your room." Howl folded the cigar, transporting the smoky object to the Witch's room. Howl wanted to make Sophie feel comfortable especially during her pregnancy.

The Witch humphed. "You're not as fun as I remember."

Kenta turned to Calcifer. "What was that for?" Martha pushed herself out from under Kenta, jogging her head from the unexpected fall.

Calcifer ignored Kenta and held his gaze on Martha. "What did you see exactly?"

Martha stood up, her eyes looking to the ceiling. "Gwenda and a man. One of the wizards who attacked you all, I assume."

Calcifer clenched his teeth, the mere thought of that scene already unappealing to him. Martha continued. "He gave her a plate of food and left. The vision followed him instead of her. He entered a front room. Fireplace, dining table, kitchen. The place was really run down, picture frames and glasses broken on the floor. I could see out the front window, and it looked like a farmland town."

Kenta raised his eyebrows. "A farmland?" Martha nodded. Kenta gambled with his next response. "Did you notice a clock that looked like a cat in the kitchen? The tail moving left to right with the seconds?"

Martha creased her brow. "Yeah, how did you know that?"

Kenta formed fists at his side. "Because they're using my home."

"Kenta, are you sure?" Howl asked. "I mean, how many people do you think own cat clocks?"

"Not many that are as rundown as Gwenda and I saw my home to be. They have to be there. If they were smart, they would be. And understanding how Noe's mind works, she wouldn't go back to the Palace - she wouldn't have control over the situation."

"Kenta, what your home's coordinates?" Kenta turned around to Calcifer, his eyes wide and desperate.

"87 west and 24 north, but I don't see how-" Before he finished speaking, Calcifer whispered a spell and vanished from the fireplace, a line of smoke arising from his previous spot.

The room was hushed as they stared in disbelief at the hastiness of the fire demon. Howl scratched his head. "I never thought Calcifer could… you know…"

"Love?" Sophie smiled to Howl, tapping his arm. "It's not just a human thing."

Howl raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know?"

"Where there is a heart, there is love." Howl turned to his side. He had known Calcifer for many years, though he had forgotten how much he still didn't know about his companion. There was a heart in him, he thought. Even without his heart, Howl believed Calcifer always had his own.

"I'll watch him." Martha sat in front of the fireplace, quietly casting a spell.

"How?" Sophie asked.

She continued the spell until her eyes viewed the room she had seen in the beginning of her vision. Gwenda, chained to a bedpost in a cold room. A light fire sparked in the fireplace before her. "This spell allows me to choose a time and place in the present to observe. Now that we know exactly where she is, I can observe the scene and determine the best time for us to intervene."

Kenta sat cross-legged next to Martha. "We may as well prepare, then. I can move the castle in Calcifer's place." He spoke to himself softly, repeating the words over and over again before the castle picked up his feet an started moving once more.

Markl stood next to Howl. "What are we going to do against those magicians who attacked you?"

Howl lowered his gaze. There were many things Howl remembered from their apprenticeship, and one was how strong Nade and Noe were. Kenta had confided in him years later that after his disappearance from the apprenticeship, Noe graduated top of their class. Nade was within the top ten, but Noe was the one to fear.

He was surprised to see Xarx within their trio. Loka or Gorund would have been a better match for them. Xarx had struggled for years to prove himself to Madame Suliman, and anything he did never seemed to satisfy her. Maybe she was giving him another chance.

"I wonder if they expect us to come and called for more to defend them." Sophie said.

Howl bit his lip. "We can't fight off more than those three. Martha, Kenta, Markl, and I are the only ones who can fight."

Sophie pursed her lips. She knew he left her out for a reason, that he didn't want to put her in danger due to the baby. She wished she was given these powers before - maybe she would have been more useful in battles or defense.

Martha chimed in, her mind still focused on the vision. "Technically, I don't specialized in battle. My powers are concentrated on protection and premonition."

Howl huffed. "So then we only have three offensive wizards."

The Witch of the Waste sat in her chair, crossing her arms in a fit. "If I had my powers still, I would be able to fight as well."

Sophie turned to her, overcome by sympathy. There was a time when Sophie feared this woman; now she was the one caring for her. There was a time when she was known as the Witch of the Wastes, the one humans would become more cautious about whenever she was around; now people have forgotten she even existed.

She remembered the moment Suliman took her powers away - one moment a great and fearful witch, the next a trembling old woman.

Sophie rested a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry Suliman stripped you of your powers."

The Witch batted her eyes to Sophie, holding her hand. "It's not your fault, darling. I just thought that if I pleased her with all of her missions and schemes she would finally reward me."

Howl raised an eyebrow. "Missions? What kind of missions?"

The Witch sighed, her neck curling as she slumped back further into the armchair. "I did a great deal of her dirty work. And I'm not proud of it, but… I thought it was the only way to finally be recognized for my talents."

Sophie swallowed hard. "Is that why you cursed me to be an elderly woman?"

The Witch shook her head. "No, Sophie. I apologize, but that was for my own selfish reasons. However, I know I ruined many poor souls on my own account and on account of that Suliman. I transformed good people into nothing. Coal, mice, the old… even doves."

"Doves?"

"Another one of Suliman's jobs." The Witch said. Martha and Kenta listened quietly, though while Martha focused on her vision Kenta began to lose concentration on his spell. "She wanted every magician under her control to have no reason to return home. So…"

Kenta turned to her. The castle began to slow down. "So, what?"

"She told me to transform their loved ones into anything that would hinder them from returning home."

Kenta stopped his spell completely. The house halted as it did before, the residents once again holding onto anything to keep themselves grounded. Kenta stood up. "Every _single_ one she brainwashed? You went to their homes and transformed their families into birds?"

Martha whipped her head around. "Kenta, you need to keep chanting."

His eyes locked on the Witch's. "Answer the question."

The Witch creased her eyebrows, a slow nod following. "Essentially, yes. Suliman gave me the choice of the transformations, and I chose doves."

Kenta held fists at his side, though he restrained himself from moving just yet. He clenched his teeth, his breath seething through the small openings between them. "Did you happen upon a cottage right before the Wastes? A young woman with blonde hair and red eyes?"

Howl moved his eyes between the Witch and Kenta, watching them cautiously. The Witch pondered this for a moment. She shrugged. "I feel like I would remember someone like that… I don't know."

Kenta took two steps toward her, Sophie gasping. "Kenta, what are you doing?"

He placed the fingers from his right hand against her temple, sending an image of his cottage and Lona into her mind. If she couldn't remember herself, he would push her to it.

The Witch widened her eyes. The girl with beautiful hair and sparkling eyes. The one who started it all. "That's her! She was my first victim!"

Kenta dropped his arms. All this time, it was her. The Witch of the Waste was the reason for Lona's disappearance. She was responsible for whatever happened to her. She gave her to Suliman.

Kenta growled, his animalistic qualities arising. "You evil witch!"

"Kenta!" As he took out his wand, Howl snatched it away. He glared at Howl, but moved to use his hands for a spell. Martha broke her vision and used her mind to hold his hands behind his back. He thrashed from her invisible grip, unable to move closer to the Witch. Sophie stood in front her, keeping the Witch safe from his temper.

"Kenta, she made a mistake!" Martha pleaded. Kenta's eyes raged, his body using every ounce of strength to break Martha's hold on him. His arms grew hair from his gryphon form, his hands turning to claws. Markl hid behind the couch, Heen hiding underneath watching the events take place.

"She's the reason Lona is gone! She took away the only person I loved!" Kenta casted a spell that broke Martha's grip on him, sending her back toward the fireplace. She landed on the hot ashes, jumping and falling to the ground from the sparks. Howl leaped over the couch and pushed the furniture pieces away, the Witch farther from Kenta's rage. Sophie backed up to her, keeping her calm.

Kenta attempted a strangle, but Howl grabbed his arms and flung him to the ground. Kenta brought one foot to the ground before Howl knocked him back down, harder than before. Howl's arms grew raven wings, his darker form revealing itself. He covered Kenta in a frightening darkness.

Instead of submitting, Kenta rumbled the ground, his signature earthquake spell distorting Howl's balance. Kenta jumped to his feet. Martha rushed between them, her hands extending toward the two wizards. She had planned a slumber spell, hoping they would awaken with contentment rather than anger. However, her plans changed the moment the fire demon returned home.

"Go, now!"

All eyes turned to Calcifer, his breaths short and his eyes bulging. "What?"

Calcifer was frantic with fear. "They're taking her away! All of them!"

 **So much drama! She did this to that person who was in love with this person and now they know and ahh! I used to watch soap operas as a kid, and I think that transferred into my writing a bit. I like to add connections, they make things more interesting. So the Witch of the Waste did a lot more for Suliman, huh? And Kenta did not like finding that out. And then we have Calcifer who was gone for most of the chapter coming back in a frantic mess. What happened there? So many questions, but not to worry! I will do my best to reveal the answers in upcoming chapters. Until next time!**


	16. Love is Beautiful

**Hello fanfiction readers and writers! It's been a while, hasn't it? I went a week long trip to meet my boyfriend's family (I know, scary right? It was fun though) and there was literally no time to read or write. And this is a little late but Happy New Year! Anyone else planning to read a certain number of books or accomplish more writing this year? I sure am! And it's nice to have literature classes because then you read for your classes and that boosts your reading count! ;) So before you start this chapter, I have to say that out of all the chapters I've written (probably for any of my fanfics) I think this one is my favorite. Enjoy!**

There he was. So calm, so professional even by his lonesome self. The way he stared at the book, his eyes darting back and forth and then turning the page, appeared so fascinating. His hand moved to his creamy hair, her eyes following his every movement. It was hard not to stare and dream.

He noticed her from the corner of his eye and immediately smiled. "What a nice surprise, Gwenda."

She jostled the laundry basket in her grip, her lips creasing upward in an awkward state. "Oh, um… yes. I was sent to pick up the laundry, Your Highness."

Prince Justin closed his book with one motion, gently laying it on the desk. His smile was still firmly intact. She couldn't pin down what it was about that smile, but every time she saw it her spirit lifted with a joy she rarely was able to find.

He waved her to follow him, so she did. A few steps behind him, they entered the massive closet meant for someone of his status. She gawked at the multitude of colors and rows of hanging suits. His shoes lined next to each other at the far end of the closet, shades of brown and grey and black all perfectly coordinated. Everything looked so perfect.

She didn't think he heard her as a 'wow' escaped her lips. He nodded proudly. "It is kind of impressive, isn't it?"

"I barely have enough room for the three maid's dresses they give us." She had said it before her mind comprehended the words. She covered her mouth in an instant, hoping that would reverse the effect. However, Justin had clearly heard her.

He shook his head. "You look beautiful even in those."

Gwenda looked up to him, unaware of the goosebumps running up her arms as he lightly touched her hand. Their touch was like electricity and it sparked throughout her entire being. His eyes glistened like crystals in the daylight. She tried fighting the impulsive thoughts that rushed through her mind - he belongs with you, kiss him right now, he loves only you.

"Your Highness." Gwenda jolted around. Beth widened her eyes as she noticed the two from afar, but it wasn't her she was afraid of. Her mind flooded with a stream of new, more frightening thoughts - Lettie is going to kill me.

"Darling!" Lettie rushed over to them, her beautiful pink dress flopping with her steps. Gwenda curled the hairs that fell from her braid; her blue maid's dress was nothing to be proud of compared to Lettie's pristine beauty.

"Gwenda, I've missed you so much dear." Lettie wrapped her arms around Gwenda, needing to stand on her tiptoes in order to fully embrace her. Gwenda shakily moved her arms around her, her eyes focused on Beth, who only stared at her with disbelief.

Gwenda sighed. "I've missed you, too."

Lettie held her arms, a side smirk planted on her face. "We need to have a girl's day soon. Just you and me."

"Now, I don't know if I would necessarily enjoy that." Justin's hand fell onto Gwenda's shoulder, instantly jerking from the feeling. His touch wasn't electricity anymore - it felt like a knife in her heart.

Lettie touched his nose. "You can give me one day without you to spend time with my friend, can't you darling?"

Justin leaned toward her and winked. "Anything for you." His hand fell from Gwenda's shoulder and moved to cupping Lettie's cheeks, the two of them leaning in for a kiss. Gwenda's teeth chattered, her hands fumbling and holding each other back from decking him from behind. He always did this; one moment she was the center of his attention and the next, he was flaunting his relationship in front of her.

Lettie pulled away, her cheeks flushing bright red. "Um, Gwenda? Is there any way we could be alone right now?"

Gwenda raised her eyebrows, the laundry basket still in her grip. "Of course. Right after I get Your Highness' laundry."

Justin hardly turned around to point toward the corner of disheveled clothes. She hadn't seen that in the glorious wonder of the closet. "Right over there."

Gwenda nodded, though the two lovebirds were too preoccupied to notice. She collected the dirty laundry and hurried passed them, neither noticing that she had left.

She slammed the door shut, her vision blurring. Every time; every single time she fell for his little tricks. He made her feel wanted; her made her feel like someone actually loved her. And the second Lettie walked in, she didn't exist anymore.

How could she do that Lettie? Have feelings for her boyfriend? She was betraying the one person who gave her a chance, gave her everything when she had nothing. She was her friend first - he was her boss.

"Gwenda, what were you thinking?" Gwenda turned around, Beth standing right behind her. Her gaze was sympathetic, but her words were harsh and true. "He's the Prince and he's in a relationship."

Gwenda wiped her eyes, her voice muffled. "I don't know, okay? I honestly don't know."

Beth approached her slowly, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Lettie is your friend."

"You think I don't know that?" Gwenda said, louder than she had hoped. She held the basket of laundry closer to her. She still had two more rooms to attend to. "I have to finish this."

"Gwenda." Beth called out to her, but she was ignored. Gwenda rushed down the hall to King Rolland's and Queen Johanna's room, all the while holding back the tears she shed every time Justin played with her emotions. He was cruel; he was deceitful; and she wouldn't fall for his tricks anymore.

Gwenda scoffed. "Love is so stupid."

(—)

As the days went by, her hope for rescue lessened and faded until she had only a sliver of desperation left. She had lost track of the number of days it had been since her capture, and wondered if anyone would come for her. She worried if any of them were even looking.

Gwenda shivered on the wooden floor, the room seeming to grow colder by the minute. Noe thought one day that it would be fun to see how she would fare with the window opened, the added wind chill building to the frost in her prison.

Noe was her least favorite, the next one being her little puppy who always followed her around calling her sweetheart. The third captor was quiet; he never really spoke much to her or the others. They both let Noe take charge, and she abused that power as best as she could.

Gwenda lifted a weak hand to her ratty hair, her blonde locks mostly brown and dirty from the lack of maintenance. Her braid was nonexistent at this point, the long hairs falling to the ground in a heaping mess. They wrapped around her body, blanketing her shivering arms. Her chains were like ice around her wrists, the metal blades leaving behind scarring bruises. Blue and black and red marks circled around her wrists. If she were ever to get out of this, they would be a reminder of the torture she felt under their control.

She craned her neck toward the open window, the sun barely hanging in the sky above the mountains. No sign of wizards or a walking castle or her friends - no matter how many times she glanced out the window, she still had a glimmer of hope that she would see them coming for her.

Maybe this was how her life was going to end. Maybe she was suppose to rot away and disintegrate and vanish. Maybe everyone was destined to leave her.

Gwenda choked up. "Maybe I'm not as important to them as I thought I was."

Her eyes flittered to the fluttering doves that landed on the windowsill. She tilted her head, thinking she was imagining things. The doves gazed at her until one perched onto the ground, jumping toward her until she reached Gwenda's limp body. She lifted her fallen hand, the one Noe had twisted when she was first taken. Her hand hadn't fully recovered and small movements had become a struggle for her.

The dove rubbed her beak against Gwenda's index finger, the light gesture brightening her spirits ever so slightly. She sighed with a smile, staring at the dove with shining white feathers and sparkling red eyes. "You're beautiful."

The dove directed her gaze toward her counterparts and, in one quick motion, leaped into the air and flew out the window. Gwenda pushed against the bedpost, watching the magnificent flight of doves as they soared into the sky. They were majestic; they were free.

Her smile quickly frowned as she saw three of those doves caught in a net. She pushed herself up farther until she saw the two wizards holding the net secure. One enclosed the doves, ignoring their struggles to escape, while the other waved his hand over the net, the doves soon disappearing. After they had vanished, the two sought out the rest.

Gwenda felt her legs wobble and she fell to the floor in one motion, her knee landing first. They had taken every ounce of her strength and will to keep going. Part of her wished they would just stop this torture, destroy the last bit of hope she had left of her friends, end her life. Anything was better than this.

From the corner of her eye, she felt a glowing light appear. Nothing shone in this room; nothing warm emitted from the desolate fireplace. However, as she turned a cold eye to the grey cement, the face of her dear companion rested in the blazing fire, his eyes wide and torn.

"Gwenda."

She shivered from the breeze. "I feel so weak, Calcifer."

He immediately took action. "Stay with me. Don't give up." Calcifer reached forward as best as he could, sending clouds of warmth toward Gwenda. She rubbed her hands over the clouds, then watched as they entered through her heart and warmed her on the inside. She convulsed slightly, her renewed muscle strength unfamiliar to her.

She turned to Calcifer. He came for her. He used the teleportation that he said he rarely used. A light laugh escaped her lips. "I guess this applies to you drastic measures. Otherwise you wouldn't have come."

Calcifer shook his head rapidly. "What are you talking about? We've been looking for you for weeks."

Gwenda raised her eyebrows. They were looking for her; they did care. She doubted their loyalty, and yet she was still rewarded with their friendship. "You were?"

"I was going crazy not knowing where you were or how to bring you back." Calcifer's voice cracked, his eyes wishing to produce tears but restricting him from doing so. Here she was, lying in a bone chilling room with nothing but the clothes on her back and metal chains holding her to a bedpost. He noticed her wrists and how deadly they looked, how unlike human skin they appeared.

His fiery arms reached for her once more, only this time they turned to her hands. He had an ability that he rarely needed to use, but this one was very crucial to Gwenda at this moment. He wrapped his fiery fingers around her wrists, his heat healing the bruises and cuts, along with her broken hand. Gwenda felt her right hand - she could move it again.

Gwenda shivered from his kindness. "Thank you."

He croaked. "Gwenda, what have they done to you?"

She turned to the empty plates on the ground, some still with bits of food and others licked clean. She kicked one of them away from her. "Two meals a day, but it's nothing enjoyable. I think they just throw whatever they find onto a plate and pass it off as food."

Calcifer chattered his teeth. Not from the freezing temperature, but from discovering how heinously Gwenda was treated. "You're chained up like an animal."

Calcifer was surprised to see a smile on her face - a smile meant only for him. "It doesn't matter. You came to save me."

The words left before he could contemplate saying them. "I'd do anything for you."

And he would; he knew that. She was the reason why he still kept going. She was the one keeping him alive. She helped him see that life didn't have to be just a string of surviving years, but that there were things and people worth living for.

Calcifer heard a whimper, her eyes welling up and reddening. She gasped, "I'm so sorry."

Calcifer crinkled his eyebrows. "For what? I'm the one who should be sorry."

Gwenda shook her head, her hand covering her mouth as she spoke. "I said you didn't know how to love." Calcifer held his breath. That was the last thing she had said before she was taken; that was the one thing she needed to say to break his heart and mind all at once.

Gwenda continued. "Which even at the time I said it I knew was false. I mean, you have a family. You love Sophie and Howl and Markl, even the Witch of the Waste, I guess."

Calcifer opened his mouth to speak, but she was too focused to stop. "And you were right. All this time, I was just hiding my feelings for Justin because I thought love was wrong. I thought anyone who fell in love was bound to live miserably. And that's exactly what I was doing - pining over someone who obviously knew who he loved. I accept that at a time, I did love him. But not anymore. Not now, not ever again."

Calcifer lowered his gaze. He thought that her admitting her love for another would break him even further than he already was, but for some reason it was relieving. Maybe it was that she no longer felt that affection for him or that she would finally be able to love someone else. Maybe he was just optimistic that she would feel the same about him.

The room was quiet. Calcifer wasn't sure if she wanted to keep going, but she seemed to have made her peace with the situation. There were so many things he wanted to say to her - actually, there was only one, but there were so many different ways to say it. He didn't want to ruin the relationship they already had, but he didn't want to hide this feeling, never knowing if they could have been something more.

Calcifer's breath was shaky. "Love comes with the biggest price, more than the price of magic. By loving someone, you give that person everything they could possibly use against you. You become more trusting, more vulnerable, willing to share things with that person because you want them to notice you or love you in return." Calcifer locked onto Gwenda's gaze, watching her eyes wander to the chains around her. "And the more you love someone who doesn't love you back, the more it will hurt and the more life will be miserable."

Gwenda laughed, her eyes turning to his. They glistened from the light of his fire. "You sound like the expert on this kind of stuff."

Calcifer's visage remained neutral. "I wasn't hurt that you said I didn't know how to love. I was hurt that you didn't think I understood romantic love."

Gwenda dropped her smile. She reached his gaze, regret written in her eyes. "I just never expected it. For the longest time, I thought magicians and creatures were incapable of romantic love and that they only fed on humans with lustful wishes."

"Maybe some, but not all."

Gwenda bit her lower lip and closed her eyes to hold the tears back. "My own mother left my father for a wizard who only took advantage of her." Calcifer widened his eyes. She had never told him that; he couldn't recall a moment that she spoke of her family except for her sister.

Her lips trembled as she forced herself to continue. "It broke my father's heart and he drank himself to death. Then when Lona ran away with Kenta, I just… I didn't want the same thing to happen to her."

Calcifer swallowed hard. "Do still feel that way?"

She shook her head. "Seeing Sophie and Howl and how far they will go to protect each other - even Kenta now during our search for Lona - they all helped me realize that love might not be all that bad."

Calcifer's flames rose and the pigment reddened ever so softly. He looked at Gwenda with confidence. "Love is beautiful. It can tragic and it can be heart wrenching, but above all it is beautiful."

Gwenda nodded, though her gaze wandered around the room once more. He sucked in a deep breath. "And I may be a fool for finally admitting this, but Gwenda… I think I've been in love with you for a really long time."

Gwenda slowly turned her head to face him, her wide eyes filled with a mixture of emotions. Calcifer sat in the fireplace, his confidence still intact but the lack of response from her was gradually taking that confidence away. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. No words, no mumbles, just dead air.

Gwenda's lips trembled. "Calcifer-"

"Hey!" The door flung open, hitting the wall with a bang. Gwenda stared with a frightening look toward Noe while Calcifer seethed from her presence. She was the reason Gwenda was in this dump; she was the culprit.

Her hair was perfectly braided into two pigtails, her broomstick in hand. She first took notice to Calcifer, her eyes gleaming. "Oh, how cute. You're little savior is a fire demon."

Noe walked toward the fireplace, though Calcifer blew hot flames toward her to keep her away. Noe retreated and waved the flames away with the end of her broomstick.

Calcifer fumed. "Leave her alone. She's done nothing to you."

Gwenda darted her eyes between the two of them. Noe clenched her teeth and turned to Gwenda, resuming her composure. "Madame Suliman wants you. Those dimwits actually did something she asked them to do. You and your other human friends are going on a little trip."

"What do you mean?" Calcifer said, his flames boiling and raging. He couldn't lose her again; he couldn't let them just take her away right in front of him.

Noe knelt across from him, her smirk as nasty as her personality. "Suliman has better ways of getting your friends to give up that baby." She reached into her satchel and held a powder. She threw the powder over Calcifer, his fire going out and returning back to the castle. His last glimpse was of Gwenda reaching for him, the chains holding her back and the evil witch girl knocking her unconscious.

"Gwenda, no!" Calcifer flung through a portal not of his own creation, spinning through it until he landed back in the fireplace of Howl's castle. He panted harshly until he noticed where he was.

Howl and Kenta were both in their animalistic forms to a certain extent while the others watched them fighting. Calcifer didn't waste another second. "Go, now!"

They all turned to him, his breaths short and his eyes bulging. They weren't there; they didn't see what he saw. They didn't know what Suliman was planning.

Sophie stood agape. "What?"

Calcifer was frantic with fear. "They're taking her away! All of them!"

Kenta and Howl reverted back to their human forms, completely ignoring their argument from before. Kenta whispered a spell and a swirling portal appeared below their feet. Howl and Kenta jumped below, vanishing into the labyrinth.

 **Oh... My... GOD! He said it... he actually SAID it! Oh, my heart literally melted when I wrote that. But Gwenda hasn't said anything. Really, she couldn't cuz of that ridiculous Noe. What does she think of Calcifer professing his love for her? Does she feel the same way? Arggghhh so many questions! And we're not even halfway through the story yet! There is so much more to come and I cannot wait to write it. Have a good weekend everyone and I'll work hard on getting the next one out ASAP!**

 **RANDOM FACT:**

 **Gwenda was originally going to be the girl Kenta couldn't remember in Thorns of a Rose (and essentially who he loved). After creating their personalities and seeing how Calcifer and Gwenda acted around each other, I couldn't see Gwenda and Kenta being in love. Thus, came Lona.**


	17. Loyalty

**Hello readers and writers! What a week it's been. I haven't been feeling too well lately, so that's part of why it's taken me this long to update. I wanted to post this Friday, but that just wasn't going to happen. Also, my birthday is coming up this week and I go back to school so the next chapter will definitely take a while. I'm extremely sorry for the slow progression of this story. I would rather the story be good than rushed, but I know how frustrating that can get when a fanfic goes on for years. I will do my best to update frequently. Thank you for your patience!**

The Kingsbury Palace always felt eerie this late at night, even during a normal period. It was unusual for him to walk through the dim halls at this hour, passing by the repetitive trend of glass windows filled with the capital's skyline in the nighttime. He walked by mournful servants and guards, a few handkerchiefs in hand to dab their tears away.

It was a mournful time, indeed.

Howl held his composure. Though he was saddened by the death of their beloved King Edward, he had other matters to attend to. His apprenticeship with the Royal Sorceress Madame Suliman was coming to an end, and in less than a month he and everyone in the apprenticeship would graduate and move on with their skills. Many would scatter to the cities in Ingary and open shops to sell potions and spells to the common people. Others had already mentioned how they would move to the Wastes and use their magic for their own personal gain, using the Waste's properties to their own advantage.

However, the real prize lay within the Palace.

Howl knew that she was optimistic that at least one of her students would show interest in her work, and he had taken full notice. To become next in line for Royal Sorcerer was everything that he had dreamed of since joining her apprenticeship. He would become a legend; he would be famous.

He would have power.

Howl was sure she favored him over the majority of his class. She always wanted to train privately with him for long hours. Even her own son had grown envious of this special treatment. That never bothered him; he never saw Owen as a challenge. And while he had first rights to following in his mother's footsteps to become the Royal Sorcerer, Howl had a few tricks up his sleeve to make his case more convincing.

He assumed Madame Suliman would be in her quarters, but an open door in the main halls proved to find her in an alternative spot. Howl held the side of door, ready to waltz in and make his claim, though he restrained himself after Prince Rolland came into sight.

Correction - after tomorrow's coronation, he would be referred to as King Rolland.

He stood proudly before Suliman in the Royal Office, his shoulders straight and his hands at his hips. His bright mustache curled up at the ends, something Howl always found tacky and too dramatic. However, this was Rolland - nothing was too dramatic for him.

Suliman crossed her arms over her chest, her smile very reserved. Rolland coughed before speaking, "And as my first order as King of Ingary, I believe I shall propose a marriage to Johanna Marvel."

Suliman raised an eyebrow. "That's your first order? You're not going to mention anything of your father's recent passing?"

Rolland waved a hand, suggesting idiocy from Suliman's words. "Of course I will. He was my father for crying out loud. I'll even have Justin say a few words, maybe sparks a few tears from him for sympathy. But now that he's kicked the boot, it's time for me to step up. And that also means keeping the family line going. A wife would be perfect, wouldn't you think Suliman?"

Suliman nodded, though she still appeared confused. "Of course, Your Majesty. Though I don't understand your reasoning. Johanna Marvel is the daughter of our leading contributor for militia. What could you possibly gain from that marriage?"

Rolland rested a hand on the writing desk. "For one, she's beautiful. With her beauty and my killer looks, our children would be genetically perfect."

Howl rolled his eyes. Rolland was nothing compared to Howl's own stellar looks, but he was right about Johanna Marvel. She had visited Kingsbury quite often with her father and the wizards in the apprenticeship always itched for the chance to stare at her beauty.

Rolland leaned closer to Suliman, almost as if he had a secret to tell. "A marriage between Ash Marvel's daughter and me would secure my plans for an upcoming war."

Howl took a step back, hoping neither had heard his gasp. He panted with fear in each breath. A war. He wasn't even the King yet and he was already planning a war. He wondered how long he had strategized this and whether King Edward had had the same thoughts. He wondered where he would attack or what reasons he had for enacting such a treacherous notion.

And who would fight for him.

Suliman laughed lightly. "Already planning a war before your coronation. You do dream big."

Rolland raised his eyebrows. "Dad always said if you don't dream big, you're not dreaming hard enough."

Suliman clasped her hands together, her typical smirk planted firmly on her face. "However, I'm going to ask you kindly to postpone this war you have in mind."

Howl released a breath of relief. At least she had her senses still intact.

Rolland dropped his jaw. "Suliman, I don't think you realize what a war would do. We could expand our borders, we could exploit the riches of our neighboring lands, we-"

"I said postpone, Rolland." Suliman enunciated. "I have an army that will be ready to serve their Royal Sorceress given to proper incentive."

Howl inched closer to the door, hoping his ears were deceiving him. She wasn't persuading him to change his position at all - she was encouraging it.

Rolland tapped his chin. "You mean your apprentices?" Suliman nodded, much to Rolland's excitement. "Having an army of magical creatures would definitely fair well for our side."

"And with their loyalty to me, they should have no reason to disobey." Suliman held her gaze to Rolland. "I just need time."

"How much time?"

"The apprenticeship ends in a month." Suliman said. "Then my students will run off across Ingary and use what I've taught them to do wonderful and magnificent things. Then, according to the agreement they signed, when their Royal Sorceress asks them to return for an important mission, they will have no choice but to report when summoned."

Rolland pursed his lips. "That still doesn't give me a timeframe."

Suliman nodded. "I estimate four years. I want to earn their trust so they will return to me with pride. And if they don't, I'll persuade them my way."

Howl stepped back, his mind struggling to comprehend everything he had just heard. He didn't think - he just ran.

He passed by more saddened servants and then loyal guards. He kept running up the long flights of stairs until he reached the floor meant for the apprenticing magicians. He stopped when he saw them in the common area. His classmates, his friends and even those he didn't like very much, were all being tricked. This was all a game. She was going to use them for war and they didn't even know it.

"Howl." He jolted when a hand patted his shoulder. His good friend Kenta smiled at him. "We're playing a few card games. Care to join us?"

Howl quickly shook his head. "No, I'm fine." He couldn't pretend everything was all right. One minute he felt confident enough to approach the Royal Sorceress and ask her to take him on as her successor, and then in an instant his entire future shattered right in front of him.

Howl turned to Kenta, hoping he'd be able to read his mind. _I'm leaving this place. I'm leaving and never coming back._

"Everything okay?" Kenta frowned. He stared with worrisome eyes, but he didn't know why.

Howl took in a shaky breath, forcing a rough smile. "Yeah. I just need some rest." He pushed by Kenta, hearing the others playing and laughing as if everything was fine. Howl wouldn't take it. He couldn't be there to see Suliman abuse their wonderful gifts. Yet he knew even if he had warned them of her plans, no one would believe him.

She had already gained their trust - why wouldn't they fight for her?

(—)

It was hard not to hope. It was hard not to expect something so inconceivable. Yet they still thought that she would be there and they would fight for her if need be and all would be well again.

It was hard not to hope. It was worse seeing that their hope had deceived them.

In a lonely cottage, Howl and Kenta scoured the place, looking for answers. There were definite signs of usage. Misshapen cots in the living room, two glasses half empty on the dining table, and the front door was actually hinged. Last time Kenta was here, not even the door hung straight.

But their enemies were quicker than they were.

"Let's check the bedrooms." Kenta cleared his throat. "Make sure no one stayed behind to ambush us."

Howl and Kenta approached two separate rooms with caution. Howl tapped the door open, hearing the eerie creaks of the door until it hit the wall. The vacant room silenced him.

Broken shackles chained to the bed, the smoke of a recent fire still steaming on hot ashes, and a window clanking against the side of the house with the force of the wind. If Gwenda was here, she definitely wasn't anymore.

Howl inhaled a long, deep breath. He couldn't imagine how Calcifer was able to look at her in shackles in this desolate space and not come back sooner. They would have been able to help her, brought her back to the castle and kept her out of Suliman's hands. What was so important?

Howl shook his head. Nothing could change what happened; all they could do now was start from scratch.

Back in the main room, Kenta sat at the dining table, raising one of the glasses. He stared at the rim, twisting it slowly to see all around. He rubbed the thick beard around his chin. His eyes were deep in concentration, so when Howl shut the door, Kenta shook with fear and darted his eyes to him. He held his breath for a few seconds before closing his eyes and releasing the air through his mouth.

"You scared me." Kenta said.

"Sorry." Kenta returned his gaze to the glass. "Gwenda was definitely here. The room looked like a provisional prison."

Kenta nodded. "No sign of anything in the guest bedroom. Pretty sure Noe used it as her room, though."

"What makes you say that?"

Kenta removed his focus from the glass to Howl. "It's the cleanest room here. The quilt had no creases, the floor was spotless, and she added pink and purple pillows."

Howl bobbed his head from side to side. "Yeah, that sounds like Noe. I'm surprised she even teamed up with Nade and Xarx. They wouldn't know how to clean even if they were given spells to do it for them."

Kenta narrowed his eyes at the glass in his hand, merely inches from his face. "What do you think Calcifer meant by 'all of them'? Who else would Suliman have held captive here?"

Howl blinked. He forgot those were the first words out of his mouth when he returned. "I don't know. I assumed Gwenda was the only prisoner."

Kenta pursed his lips. "I think Suliman has something hidden up her sleeve."

"Don't I always?"

Howl and Kenta back away from the sound of a foreign voice. Kenta dropped the glass, letting it shatter and spill the remnants on the floor. They both held defensive positions, their minds ready with a dozen or so spells to attack if need be.

Howl seethed through his teeth. "Suliman."

She widened her smile, her malicious teeth showing. "So lovely to see my favorite apprentices once more."

"We are no longer your apprentices." Kenta said with a growl.

Suliman sighed. "Yet everything you know is because of me."

Kenta grunted and warped the air in the room into a wild tornado. He directed the spinning demon to Suliman, who merely waved her hand before it and calmed the storm. Suliman dropped her head in a heavy laugh. "Come now, dear Kenta. You haven't even heard my proposition yet."

"We don't want anything from you." Howl said.

Suliman raised her eyebrows. "Not even the whereabouts of your friends, Gwenda and Lona?"

Kenta choked up slightly. The sound of Lona's name coming from Suliman's lips sent all sorts of terrible thoughts into his mind. Suliman was quick to notice this, and her attention focused on him. "You want her back, don't you?"

Kenta blinked rapidly, his mind racing all over. How he missed her; he would leap over mountains and oceans and valleys just to see her again. Lona was so close. She was always so close until Suliman stepped in and made it that much harder to find her, to be with him again.

He lowered his gaze. "More than anything."

Suliman peaked her spirits. "I can return her to you."

Howl watched Kenta carefully. He knew how Suliman played her games. It was a sport to her, persuading younger, more vulnerable magicians to side with her. He knew Kenta was a strong wizard, but he also knew that his love for Lona was of utmost importance.

Kenta growled through clenched teeth, his eyes meeting Suliman's. He was not fooled. "Liar. You'll only make it harder for us to be together."

Suliman pursed her lips lightly. "I don't know if you heard me correctly. I said-"

"No." Kenta stepped forward, his hands held as if he were pushing her away. "No, I heard you just fine. You used us for warfare, Suliman. You took our abilities and brainwashed us into blind soldiers so that you and the Royal Family could destroy other lands. I won't be a part of that anymore."

A laugh escaped from Suliman, almost as if she were ignoring Kenta's denial. "So, it appears that Lona is just not that important to you, then."

Kenta bit his lip, pressing down until he tasted blood. "Lona is everything to me. But if joining your army is what keeps us apart, then I'll find her on my own terms. Because I don't believe for one second that you will reunite us. If anything, you're the reason why she went missing in the first place."

Suliman dropped her contentment, her vindictive eyes narrowing. She was hoping he would be more easily coerced, but his loyalty to Howl far surpassed his loyalty to her in the past.

Howl and Kenta held their stance, preparing for an attack from her. Instead, she merely waved one arm to the other side of her body, a cloud erupting from beneath her feet. Before she disappeared, she left them with a warning. "If you thought I was giving you a hard time before, prepare for a war worse than the last."

Howl lunged for her, but she was gone and he hurled to where she had been. He picked himself up from the ground, brushing the dirt off his pants. Once again, Suliman planning more wars and terror. She held the power in her hands, though Howl knew of one way that might give them a chance.

"We have to go to the Palace." Howl said firmly. "We need to release everyone under her control before she uses them for any more damage. Maybe if we give them back their magic, they'll join us to stop her tyranny."

Kenta shook his head. "She's already using them for war in Ovela. How would we be able to set them free from the Palace?"

"When you escaped from her control, you already had your magic when I found you."

He nodded, his mind romanticizing that momentous occasion. "The dove who helped me, she led me to the room where Suliman contained the magicians' sources."

Howl nodded - just as he expected. "If we find where she's hidden their sources and return their magic to them, we can break her hold on them. I'm sure of it."

Kenta sighed. "And what about Lona and Gwenda? Are we just going to abandon them?"

Howl dropped his gaze. He found his thoughts to be selfish, but he wished they didn't have to worry about the sisters. He had Sophie to worry about. He had a baby expected to be born any week now. He had a multitude of responsibilities. He wished Gwenda and Lona weren't one of them.

Kenta stepped closer to Howl. "We don't know where they are. How I prayed that Gwenda was here so she was safe with us and one less person to worry about. But I haven't seen Lona in over two years. I can't even be sure if she's still alive."

Howl nodded. He understood his concerns; he saw his compassion and love for this girl. It mirrored his love for Sophie. He couldn't deny his friend anything less of what he had done for him.

Kenta helped to reunite them - and he would do the same for him and Lona.

 **A bit slow this chapter, I know. But we see how Suliman underestimated her power. Kenta had more loyalty to Howl than to her (what we can only assume as fake) promises. There is still so much left to reveal, I feel like I'm writing the script for a soap opera. I think I've mentioned before how my mom and I watched soap operas together a lot... yeah it definitely feeds into my writing. Hopefully for the better! Until next time!**

 **RANDOM FACT: Kenta was a character I used in a previous fanfiction, my Kiki's Delivery Service one called Soaring Through the Sky. Kenta was the mechanic.**


	18. Finding Control

**Hello again! Next chapter coming right up! Last chapter was slow, but I made sure to give this one a spicy ending. Thanks for your patience and dedication to the story, I'll keep this intro short. Enjoy!**

She wanted to fly away. She wanted to fly so far away that no one would ever find her. She'd hide in the clouds and pass through the sky behind the cotton pillows. Or maybe a magician could turn her invisible; then no one would see her or ask her of anything and she would be free.

Free at last.

Sophie scoffed. She'd never be free. With her father's recent passing, she lost any hope of escaping this deranged marriage. She pleaded with him for years, begging him to find another way. She didn't love Owen; she didn't even like him. And while his attempts never worked, he at least consulted their mother about proposing a new arrangement with the Royal Sorceress. Yet with every plea she gave him, he only looked at her with hopeless eyes - he knew the decision had been set in stone.

Now he was gone; she had no one to defend her. The only thing she had behind her was age. At fifteen, she was still a minor. The wedding couldn't proceed for another three years, even though the groom was royalty. She thanked the late King Edward and his predecessors at least for that.

Ellis Hatter and King Edward - both dying suddenly on the same day. The coronation for King Rolland, Edward's eldest son, proceeded the very day that Sophie's mother determined what she would do with her three talented daughters.

"Well, your father didn't leave us with much money." Honey said, her eyes shifting between piles and piles of papers and documents. Bills and fees and payments. Sophie sat on the couch quietly, her two sisters on either side of her. Lettie held Sophie's hand tightly, their father's untimely death still haunting her. Martha sat crosslegged, her knee bouncing against Sophie's straight position. Sophie thought about Martha's seating position and how unfit she was if she were in the presence of royalty.

But Sophie hated pleasing royalty.

Honey dropped the papers in her hand onto the coffee table and sighed with exhaustion. She looked up to her girls with torn eyes. "I can't pay for your schooling anymore, girls."

Martha's bouncing knee dropped. Lettie's grip tightened. Sophie lower her gaze. Though she had already completed school, she sympathized for her sisters who still had a few years to go. Lettie was extremely social with her classmates, so this would be devastating to her.

Honey turned to Martha first. "Since you're at an age where you still need schooling, I know of an alternative that might just work."

Martha brightened her spirits. "Really?"

Honey nodded. "Mrs. Jarrod is an instructor at Wessex Boarding School in Kingsbury and she mentioned that she could send one of you there for almost no cost."

Martha widened her eyes. Her voice stuttered. "B-boarding school?" Honey nodded. Martha dropped her jaw. "Why? What did I do to deserve this?"

Honey leaned closer to her with a desperate smile. "You'll like it. There will be so many rich young men your age there, so when you get older you can find a nice husband to take care of you."

Martha stood up, squeaking in her high-pitched voice. "But I don't want to marry a rich snob!"

Honey motioned for her to sit. "Martha, this is for the best. Do not yell at me. I will not tolerate misbehavior." Before Martha could retort, Honey turned to Lettie. "Lettie darling-"

"I'll get a job." Lettie said before she finished. Her lips trembled and she fitted her hands together. "There's an opening for an apprentice at the bakery in the center of town, I can work there. Or I can work for you at the hat shop."

Honey sighed with relief. "That's very sweet of you. However, I need Sophie to work for me."

Sophie straightened her back. It wasn't what she expected. In fact, she assumed her mother would send her to Kingsbury to be closer to Owen. Maybe she was rethinking the agreement and needed her to run the hat shop in her place.

How she hoped this were true.

Sophie nodded rapidly. "Yes. Yes, I'll work at the hat shop. I'll work here as long as you need me to."

Honey smiled softly. "I know you will, Sophie. Your heart is too big." She returned to the paperwork on the table. "But I only need you to work here until you're eighteen, then you will marry Owen and move to the Kingsbury Palace, as we've discussed."

Sophie curled her shoulders inward. She wasn't changing the agreement. She still wanted to continue with the wedding - a wedding that's been planned almost her entire life. She had no say in how things played out.

Martha and Lettie turned to her, noticing Sophie struggle to hide the tears that befell her. Martha nudged her shoulder, and when Sophie saw her she tilted her head toward their distracted mother. Her eyes told her to say something.

Sophie opened her mouth, but nothing came out. How could she deny her own mother?

Martha seethed, her voice raising once more. "Mom, she doesn't want to marry him." Honey stopped sifting through papers, pausing for a moment. She slowly lifted her eyes - first to Martha, then to Sophie.

Her voice was low. "Excuse me?"

Martha nodded with pride. "Owen is rude and he's a jerk and Sophie hates him. You can't make her marry someone like that."

Honey pursed her lips, her eyes glued to Sophie. "Is that true, Sophie?"

She blinked multiple times, avoiding her mother's glare. She swallowed hard. "Owen… he's very… he's not very nice and there's nothing attractive about him. He's so condescending and likes to parade around like he's in charge."

"He's a wizard. He's earned that right."

"But mother, I don't even like him."

"What does that have to do with it?" Honey shouted. Sophie sat back, startled from her mother's abruptness. "This has been the plan for nearly ten years. This is what your father and I decided you would do."

Sophie couldn't look at her. She kept her head low, trying to find the right words. "Can't I make my own decisions?"

Honey inhaled a heavy breath. "You will do as I say and what I say is that you will work at the hat shop for the next three years until you are of age to marry Owen. End of discussion."

Before Sophie or her sisters could retaliate, Honey had already snatched the large stack of papers and moved to her bedroom, the door slamming behind her. Sophie cried into her palms, the tears flooding into her hands like a puddle. She felt her sisters embrace her with loving arms, holding onto her tightly as if she would evanesce from existence otherwise. Maybe she wasn't as along as she thought.

 _Fly away,_ she kept thinking. _Fly away and never come back._

(—)

 _Please come back,_ she kept thinking. _Please come home and stay home._ While the castle was hardly the home they remembered it to be, Sophie yearned for the comfort of Howl by her side. She needed his guidance, his soothing words that calmed her during these anxious times. She was deathly afraid - not for her sake, but for the sake of her child.

Her stomach extended slightly, a light kick pushing her forward. Sophie ran her hand over the round belly, trying to feel the life inside of her. This child, this wonderful, innocent child who didn't deserve any of the horrors he or she would most likely witness. A vindictive, terrorizing sorceress always on the prowl for them; frantic parents always on the run for their safety; a magical gift bestowed upon this child, whether to be used for good or evil was still undetermined.

The thought pierced Sophie's heart. If Suliman succeeded, this child would be taught the ways of sorcery and magic through her terms. Or possibly if Suliman failed he or she would revolt against them in the future and leave. Or maybe-

"Sophie." She inhaled a dramatic breath before turning to Martha, noticing the agitation in her eyes. "Is everything fine?"

Sophie bit her lip, her teeth chattering against the flesh. "They've been gone a while. I'm… I'm just a little nervous."

Markl lay on the ground in front of Calcifer, watching his fire intently. Calcifer hardly noticed, his eyes wandering over the molten ashes and his flames burning like the end of a candlestick. The Witch of the Wastes sat curled in the armchair with Heen, having not moved since Kenta's outburst. Her frown lowered her face and her wrinkles seemed more present than before. The realization of her previous actions coming back to haunt her was catching up to her, and regret filled her entire being.

Martha sat beside Sophie, running her hands up and down her arm. For years, Martha and Lettie were the ones taking care of her. Sophie was eldest; she knew it was her duty to protect her younger sisters, to teach them the knowledge she had learned from school and relationships and fighting with their parents. They were the doers - she was the one leaning on their shoulders.

"They'll be fine." Martha turned Sophie's chin to her. "I promise."

Sophie sniffled. "You mean, you've seen them return?"

Martha bobbed her head back and forth. "Well, I've seen a lot of things. I've seen future events that involve both Howl and Kenta, so assuming those events are to happen, then this will not be a dangerous journey for them."

Sophie nodded and then another thought crept in. "And Gwenda? Will she come back with them?"

Martha held her breath for a moment. She turned to Calcifer, sitting peacefully in his fireplace. His eyes were droopy and his flame was weak and fading. If Markl hadn't stayed by his side refueling his firewood, Calcifer wouldn't have even noticed he was dying out.

"I doubt they made it in time." Calcifer said with a heavy sigh. "When Noe sent me back, it looked like she was already in the process of relocating her. I'd be surprised if they found anyone in that house."

Martha lowered her gaze, Sophie recognizing her sorrow. She wondered how many things Martha knew that she kept hidden from them. For their own good, Martha had told them. Because not even she wanted to see the things she did.

But the mere thought of knowing she held the key to their future was tempting beyond belief.

A flash of light appeared on the other side of the couch. Heen wheezed from the light and attempted to rush toward it, but the Witch kept him cemented on her lap. Martha and Sophie peered over the edge with curiosity. Calcifer's flames sparked suddenly as a swirling portal released the two wizards, both landing with weak legs on the ground. Markl stood up, shaking with nerves and excitement to his master and friend. The Witch took notice, though she continued sulking in her chair and avoided eye contact with them.

Howl shook his head to jog the weird sensation he felt from transporting through the portal. It wasn't his favorite mode of transportation, but it was the most efficient. He much preferred his magical door, where all he needed to do was switch the dial to go where he wanted.

"Howl." Sophie pushed herself off the couch and rushed over to him, falling into his embrace. He held her close to him, his hands running through her silk hair. She leaned against his shoulder, breathing in his scent so she would never forget it. "I was so worried about you."

Kenta cleared his throat obnoxiously loud. "I'm fine, too. In case you were wondering."

Calcifer felt his glimmer of hope fade into a lesser flame, having seen only Howl and Kenta return. Even though he doubted they would make it in time, he still wanted to believe she was safe with them.

Kenta turned to Calcifer, observing his dismal appearance. He licked his lips, searching his mind for the right words. "We tried, Calcifer. I'm sorry, but… we just… we didn't get there on time."

Calcifer nodded. "I assumed so."

Howl released Sophie and faced Calcifer, a determined look on his face. "But we will find her. We're positive Suliman has brought her and whoever else was involved back to the Palace."

"Humans." Calcifer whispered. He noticed a sense of confusion in the room, possibly from his soft tone or the word choice. "When Noe walked in, she mentioned that Gwenda and a group of other humans were going on a trip. Suliman has apparently taken a lot more people than we thought."

Kenta tapped his scruff. "Huh. That would have been nice to know."

Calcifer narrowed his eyes. "Well sorry for not giving you all the information. I was kind of in the middle of worrying about someone else at the moment."

Kenta widened his eyes from Calcifer's tone. "Actually, what I meant to say was the humans she took may have been those involved with magicians."

"You mean the ones I took, don't you?" All eyes glanced at the Witch, Heen finally settling in her lap and refusing to move. Kenta inhaled deeply, trying to contain his rage. The Witch bowed. "I know you must hate me for what I did to your love. And I know no amount of apologies will change the facts. But I promise I will do everything in my power to help."

Kenta laughed. "Everything in your power? You don't have even have power."

"Kenta." Martha raised her hand to him. "She's trying, you don't have to make her feel worse."

Before Kenta could retort, Howl placed his arm around his shoulders. "Maybe we should discuss where we need to go from here."

Howl and Kenta moved to the dining room to converse about their next move. Sophie listened to them and tried to follow along, but she fell far behind in their discussion. Every so often, Kenta turned to the Witch, who then would dart her eyes across the room as if she hadn't ben staring at him before. As much as he would have enjoyed seeing the tides turn against her, he knew that wouldn't solve anything. They needed to be a team; they needed to stick together.

He just wasn't sure if he could forgive her for taking Lona.

Calcifer sighed, his breath heavy and taking more energy to manage. He tried pretending that Gwenda was safe; he tried ignoring the numerous thoughts about where she could be or what Noe and her vicious sidekicks were doing to her, but they flooded in and multiplied like gnats. His mind repeated the moments before Noe walked in and snatched her away - his confession, his confidence in finally revealing his feelings for her, and the look on her face.

She didn't have a chance to respond and that frightened him. He could see her astonishment, her complete blindness to his emotions. Even after all the nights they spent together, it shocked him that she didn't at least see it in him. Then again, he wasn't so sure himself before. It was when he admitted it that he knew it was true.

Yet by expressing his feelings, Calcifer feared he may have destroyed their friendship.

Martha stood up and walked to Calcifer, kneeling in front of the faint fire. He hardly noticed her until she reached a hand onto the concrete fireplace, her voice a low whisper. "You were so brave to admit that to her."

Calcifer creased his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Martha smiled lightly and nodded. "You know. You know what I mean."

"Wait, you-" Calcifer paused as the ground started rumbling, the floorboards vibrating and pulsating the entire castle. Howl embraced Sophie as the others grabbed hold of someone or something to keep them grounded. It was very subtle, very mild at first.

Sophie leaned to Howl's ear. "Howl, what's going-" Sophie shrieked as the castle fell and tilted toward the front entrance, gravity forcing everything down. The Witch and Heen tumbled toward the front in a rolling motion. Markl jumped onto the couch, though the weight merely pushed in the direction of the door.

Martha grabbed onto the fireplace, her body floating rather than falling with everyone else. Calcifer's ashes spilled over the edge, but he held the grates with the little amount of strength he had left. Howl held Sophie secure and lightened her fall, his arms wrapped around her middle to keep her stomach out of harm's way. Kenta reached for the dining table leg, but the table moved along with them and knocked over onto the floor.

"It's an ambush!" Markl yelled, his finger pointed toward one of the windows. There in the night sky, a swarm flew in circles around the castle. A couple flew downward rather than in the pack and the castle dropped to the ground once more in a quick motion.

Howl stared out the window, trying to see who or what was attacking them. He wasn't surprised when he saw the monsters Suliman created swirling around his castle, each one prepared to knock it down.

 **Looks like Suliman's found their castle. Ahh! I know, major cliffhanger. What's going to happen to them? I'm kinda in a hurry to get stuff done today so that's why the intro and final A/N are shorter than usual (though for some, you're probably like THANK YOU I DON'T CARE ABOUT THESE). And that's okay too! Hope you guys have a great week and I'll get the next one out ASAP!**


	19. Howl's Perfect Castle

**Hello wonderful people! First month of the year just about to check out and I have the next chapter ready. I apologize for the length (it's a lot shorter than most) but with what happens, you may start to see longer (or at least longer than this) chapters. Remember where we left off? Well, things take a whole new direction...**

This was his clean slate. Anything and everything he had done no longer existed - at least in his mind. He could put those terrible mistakes in the past and move forward. Freedom had never been so irresistible.

Hours into the night, a muffled voice came from the small, steel box clipped to his belt. Howl pulled the box from its hold and opened the lid, a bright fire demon peering up from inside.

Calcifer inhaled the fresh oxygen. "We've been walking all night."

Howl nodded. "I know. The sun will be rising soon."

"So, where are we going then?"

Howl stared forward at the stone path that led into the next town. That was an excellent question. Kingsbury was miles away and Howl couldn't pinpoint exactly what direction he had chosen. He only thought about getting as far away from Suliman as possible. It seemed to be working for the most part.

Howl dropped his gaze to Calcifer. "Anywhere. As long as Suliman can't track us."

"The only way that will happen is if we go to the Wastes."

Howl stopped. "The Wastes?"

Calcifer nodded. "No one can control the shifting atmosphere of the Wastes."

Howl smiled with greed. The Wastes would be the perfect hideaway. They could roam the land and practice their magic on their own terms, free from that greedy sorceress' plot for war and destruction. Free from his own mistakes. He would only use his magic for himself - he would't let anyone control him.

Calcifer held his breath. "Oh, what is that smell? It's rancid."

Howl looked farther up the road until he saw a wasteland filled to the brim with junky material. Calcifer was right about the smell, but the material still seemed to be in good shape. He assumed the only reason they were thrown here was because of the odor.

Howl stepped closer, much to Calcifer's distaste. "Howl, it reeks."

Howl smiled. "But it's perfect."

"Perfect for knocking me unconscious?"

Howl touched the metal frames and the sturdy wood planks. With a simple spell, he could make the foul smell vanish. They were the perfect framework for a spellbound home.

How felt as happy as a child. "We'll use this to build a home. And not just any home - a moving home, with legs to walk on and stay on the move."

Calcifer seemed optimistic. "Suliman would have a harder time tracking us down with a moving house."

Howl laughed. "This won't just be a house. I want a castle."

Calcifer rolled his eyes. "Of course you do, Your Royal Highness."

Howl waved his hand, the material spinning in a minuscule tornado. His fingers, his hands, and his mind all worked together in unison. A fragrance spell danced over the odor, easing Calcifer's disdain for the smell. The material latched on one by one and fitted together like a strange puzzle. The pieces all worked in unison, forming the exterior of an extremely distorted version of a house.

Calcifer peered over his steel box. "That's what you call a castle?"

Howl smiled wide. "It's the perfect castle."

(—)

Howl took in short breaths. "They're destroying the legs! They're trying to keep the castle from moving!"

Everyone inside thrashed in motion with the tumbling castle. The creatures banged on the door and pressed against the windows. Their screeches drowned out the screams inside as the castle's walls failed to support and defend them. The door cracked with each bang and splinters of wood flung forward. The windows cracked open and the glass shattered inward.

The castle stumbled back and forth, everyone swinging with the motion of it. Kenta tried pushing the door shut, but the creatures' weight overpowered him and they flooded in like a waterfall. Calcifer cemented himself into the fireplace and extended his flames toward the intruders while Martha released her grip on the concrete and levitated into the air, positioning herself for defense. Markl kept his guard over the Witch while Heen made a break for Sophie and Howl. Howl tried cradling Sophie, but she broke from his embrace and toppled back to the other wall.

"Howl!" Sophie reached her hands toward him but slipped right through his fingers. Howl flung himself forward with the intention of shielding her from the fall, Heen right on his trail. She and the baby could be seriously injured if he didn't protect her. She was free falling and wasn't as in tune with her abilities enough to stop herself. She was vulnerable to their strength.

Martha watched Howl's pursuit for a second before acting on her own. She needed to get her sister to a safe place. She couldn't let her stay in this castle any longer and be susceptible to their attacks. Their baby was first priority - she wouldn't let these creatures destroy them.

As Howl reached for her outstretched hand, a creature grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him back. He kicked the creature, trying to release himself from its hold. It snared its pointed teeth and lunged for a bite. Howl prepared himself for a spell, but Heen jumped on the creature, biting his leg until it yelped from the pain. The creature grabbed Heen and flung the little dog in the direction of Sophie. Howl attempted to catch him, but the dog was already in Sophie's arms, falling farther and farther away.

As he stared agape, Howl saw a portal of Martha's creation open and close in an instant - consuming Martha, Sophie, and Heen.

"No!" Vanished. They had vanished from his sight. He needed to be with Sophie at all times, especially with her due date approaching so quickly. He was scared not knowing where she went. He was frightened of all the enemies out in the world that would jump at the chance to hand her over to Suliman. There was no telling what could happen to her out there, wherever Martha had taken them.

Martha. _She_ cast the portal, she sent Sophie away. Howl's rage transformed him into his animalistic form, his anger directed to Martha more than anything for separating them.

The creatures began flying down the chimney closer to Calcifer. They evaded his inferno and swooped into the main area, searching for someone to torment. He whacked his fiery hands at them, though his attempts made little difference. He summoned as much strength as he could muster and exploded into a wildfire. He grew into the chimney and burned the oncoming creatures, forcing them to flee the scene. However, that didn't match for the chaos inside.

"We can't take them all." Kenta shouted over the loud cries and vibrating wings of their attackers. He held himself off from a group, but they multiplied and gathered by the dozens. He hadn't seen an army like this since the war, an army he was a part of. This swarm was composed of all her brainwashed victims, Kenta figured. There were enough to equate to Suliman's full army force - they had no advantage.

"We have to stand our ground." Howl said, his voice low and his teeth barred. Kenta stared at him in awe, watching him slash and bite and claw the creatures, throwing each of them back toward the broken wall. For every one he defeated, their army increased tenfold.

Markl held his stance over the Witch as best as he could, shielding her in the corner and throwing spells at the creatures. His mind raced with a book's worth of spells to diverge the oncoming attackers, praying with each one that he could hold them off just a little longer until Howl or Kenta used some experienced mage's spell to defeat them all. Markl took in short breaths as they cornered him farther.

The Witch walked in front of Markl and straightened her back as much as a witch of her age could. She pursed her lips to the creatures. "Now that's enough. If Suliman wants to destroy this castle, so be it. But she cannot take away the family living inside."

The creatures sneered at her and one slashed her cheek, leaving a long cut from her ear to the bridge of her nose. She wrangled the creature's neck and shook it back and forth. It tried clawing her hands away, but the Witch would not let go. She was tired of their antics, the way they let Suliman toy with their abilities and gave themselves so freely to do her bidding. She was that person - she would never go back to begging for Suliman's approval ever again.

The other creatures pulled down the wooden supports that held the second floor together. They punched through to the upstairs and pulled the weight down, Markl and the Witch directly underneath. Howl and Kenta were quick to notice the endangered pair and immediately rushed in.

The Witch refused to release her grip on the creature, forcing Howl to intervene. As she held its neck, Howl shrunk the creature until it fit in the palm of her wrinkled hand. The Witch sneered and threw it on the ground.

She turned to Howl. "I had things under control." Howl wrapped his wings around the Witch and they vanished from the castle, oblivious to the remaining members of their group trapped inside with Suliman's army.

Kenta grabbed Markl's arm and flung him away from the falling debris, leaving himself vulnerable to the imminent blow. The second floor came tumbling down on top of Kenta, trapping him under heavy wood planks and metal supports. Rather than falling to safety, Markl knocked his head against Calcifer's cement fireplace, completely unconscious.

The castle began tumbling once more. It was useless; there was no sparing the castle in this state anymore. They had destroyed his home, his perfect castle. He was able to restore it once before, but at this rate there wouldn't be much to revive.

The creatures observed the scene. Two unconscious wizards and a tiny flame for a fire. Their direct orders were to retrieve Howl and Sophie and bring them to the Palace - the others were simply irrelevant to Madame Suliman.

The leading wizard ordered them to retreat. The creatures flew in an organized line toward the sky, breaking off into search groups. Without the main objectives in the vicinity, they were to scour the Wastes and all over Ingary to find them and hand them over to Suliman. The longer they waited, the harder it would be for Madame Suliman to earn her prize.

 **And Howl's castle is gone... again! I know it already happened before, but I felt that it fit this scene. Also, I'm TERRIBLE at fight scenes, which is why this is so short. Anyone else struggle with that? Please tell me I'm not alone. And in other news, we have nearly officially hit the halfway mark! Spoiler (not really a spoiler I guess) but I have planned 39 chapters total for AHiF and unless I make any changes, this seems to be the track I'm on. I love all your support and reviews and the fact that you just come back to read the next chapter, all of it means so much to me. Thank you :)**


	20. Fleeting Choices

**Hello world of fanfiction! It's been a while, huh? I feel like I'm always apologizing for these late updates, but I am sorry that these sometimes take so long. Things have been really tough lately, I honestly don't know how to describe them. I'm trying to get back into the groove of this, so fingers crossed I can update more! I won't ramble on for too long, but I will say this chapter and most of them from now on will be a little different from previous ones. There will more present action and less flashback scenes, since things are really heating up now. Okay, now I'm done. Here you go!**

The sound of silence was more terrifying than the attacks. How strange for it to feel this way. Silence was normally peaceful. It was a lovely sound to nod off to sleep to or focus on your thoughts. But this was terrifying.

Howl's castle was terrifying.

There was still a cloud of smoke in the area, hazing the view of the crippling home. It was difficult to picture the castle as it was before. Furniture and walls - the entire foundation - completed devastated. It was the first war all over again, only this time there was no going back.

Calcifer couldn't wrap his mind around how this was possible. Even though Calcifer was connected, he had access to every inch of the castle. He knew every weakness and every advantage. Howl placed dozens upon dozens of protection spells over the exterior. Spells to keep intruders out, spells to enhance other spells - Howl was careful.

Calcifer gasped. He wasn't as careful. "The powder."

A rustling came from underneath a large pile of debris. Kenta's head jostled about, but that was the extent of his movement. His hand peeked from under scraps of metal and wood, though his fingers could hardly move.

He exhaled a dusty breath. "What was that?"

Calcifer smacked himself. "I'm so stupid. I cannot believe I let her do that."

"What are you mumbling about?"

Calcifer sighed. "Noe, that sneaky witch. She sent me back to the castle with a disabling powder and deactivated my transportation spell. Once I came back, the powder must have deactivated everything Howl protected the castle with."

Calcifer hadn't given her much credit before. When Howl spoke to him of his classmates during his apprenticeship, he assumed Noe was just a showoff or a know-it-all. He didn't think she was that creative or smart. Then again, she did train under Suliman - who knew the kind of tricks she learned.

Kenta coughed like his lungs were barely holding on. Calcifer couldn't imagine the weight upon him. He saved Markl from the debris, but not from his next blow. The poor boy, lying on the ground next to the fireplace, still hadn't awakened yet.

"Any way you could burn him?" Kenta asked, his voice pleading. Calcifer noticed Kenta's desperation. Markl was his only hope of releasing him from this prison. "Maybe he'll wake if you give him a spark."

Calcifer nodded. He turned to the boy, his chest rising softly and lowering with ease. There was a trickle of blood straggling down his forehead from under his greasy hair. His clothes were torn and dusty. He had been unconscious for nearly half a day. The attack happened sometime last night and it was already midday. Calcifer had tried healing him, similar to how he healed Gwenda's wounds, but nothing had awakened the boy. Kenta's predicament prohibited him from moving even the slightest muscle. A quick spark against Markl's cheek might be enough to shock him into consciousness.

Calcifer sucked in a deep breath and flicked a vibrant piece of ash toward him, the molten light landing softly on his cheek. Markl sniffed and scrunched his face, like he was having a bad dream. It took a few seconds before his brain signaled that there was something burning his cheek, and he awoke suddenly in a highly defensive mode.

"Ah!" He shouted and immediately started slapping his face, trying to relieve himself of the fiery pain. He pushed himself away from the fireplace and expected to hit his back against the couch. However, after sliding on the ground, he noticed the torn wooden planks piercing up toward the open ceiling and the couch turned upside down, no longer with its soft cushions.

He bobbed his head around, noticing a lot of things that weren't as they used to be. No longer was the living room warm and inviting, but rather frightening to his young mind. This was not the home he had grown attached to. This was no longer a place for a family.

"Markl." The boy whipped his head up to the fire blazing over the cracked concrete. "How are you feeling?"

Markl blinked a few times. "Calcifer. I-" He palmed his forehead, feeling as though a heavy boulder was thrown at him and he somehow survived. "Oh, my head hurts like crazy."

"You had a bad fall." Markl looked out beyond his fingers to see who spoke. He cringed when he saw Kenta trapped under a mountain of what used to be their second floor. "Is there any way you can heal yourself?"

Markl removed his hands, though his brain felt a stinging pain on the left side. Healing himself - how could he do that? "Heal myself of what? What happened?"

"You don't remember the castle being under attack?"

Markl nodded. "I remember that. But after you pushed me, I can't remember anything else."

Calcifer sighed. "You blacked out. Kenta pushed you out of the way so you wouldn't be trapped under all of that." Kenta lower his head, the only part of his body he had full control over. Markl frowned, wondering if he would have survived if it had been him instead. "You need to cast a spell to free him."

"A spell?" Markl turned to his hands. Faint memories of a magical cloak and teleportation and large books of lessons entered his mind, though for whatever reason he was unsure of.

The mage's spells - for some reason those were the most prevalent in his mind. He could feel a particular draw to them, like a passion for this strange sorcery. But these things still seemed foreign to him.

Kenta looked at the boy with desperation. The only one within miles of their lifeless castle who could save him - his only hope was merely a boy with a faded memory.

Calcifer dropped his jaw. "You forgot how to use magic?"

Markl raised his eyebrows. "Did I ever know how?"

Calcifer turned to Kenta, watching him grunt from the heavy weight atop him. Markl rushed to him and tried lifting the heavy materials off, though he was only a small child. He needed magic to save him.

Kenta exhaled with exhaustion. "Without his memories of magic, Markl can't do anything to save me. Even if I repeat a spell to him, there's no guarantee that he has the ability to use it."

"Can't you free yourself?" Markl asked, his voice shaky. "If you know the right spell to use, why can't you say it?"

Kenta rested his head back against the wood planks. "If it were that easy, I would. But with my hands trapped the way they are, I can't use them for the motions these spells require. My mind can only do so much."

The debris shifted and poured more on both sides of Kenta's limp body. Markl jumped out of the way before he could be trapped as well. If he was Kenta's only hope, he needed to be unharmed.

Kenta clenched his teeth as the weight increased over him, his breath panting once the commotion had ended. He looked at Markl with tearfully desperate eyes. "Markl, this will crush me to death. You have to think hard and fast. Or I won't make it."

(—)

It was so sudden. One minute they were falling and the next, they landed softly far away from the castle. Far away from the attackers. Far away from Howl.

"Howl!" Sophie cried out for him, though the rumbling in her stomach begged for her attention. A pinching - no, more like a cramping around her entire body. Pinching was an understatement. This was much worse.

"I'm here." Sophie reached for a soft hand, half expecting the hand to belong to Howl. Rather than her beloved, Martha helped her to a nearby bed and laid her flat. She looked calm; how could she not show a shred of anxiety after what they just saw, after what they had just been through?

Sophie wished she could be as calm as her sister, but with these pains in her stomach she could hardly keep her screams in.

"Where's Howl? I need Howl." Sophie squeezed Martha's hand until she yelped. Martha turned to her - there was the anxiety Sophie was looking for.

"He can't be here right now." Martha said. She returned her eyes to Sophie's pregnant stomach. "You might be having the baby."

Sophie widened her eyes. "What? N-No. I-I can't have the baby without Howl. I just can't. I'm too early and I need him by my side."

Martha placed her hand over Sophie's stomach. There was definite agitation in the womb, though the baby could have simply been startled by the unexpected attack. Martha touched one hand over Sophie and with the other, she placed two fingers against her temple. Her mind opened the womb and the baby was there.

Martha paused, taking in this moment for everything that it was. Sophie's child. So much beauty in one being, Martha couldn't help but cry even just a little. A light shone around the premature baby, a light only signified by a powerful being. This was how all magical creatures looked in the womb, and the way this light shone proved Martha's assumptions - this child was going to be very powerful.

Martha ended the vision. She smiled. "You're not going into labor."

"What?" Beads of sweat fell down Sophie's face. She definitely appeared as if she was going into labor.

"The baby is just disturbed." Martha waved her hands over Sophie's stomach, whispering a spell as she went. Sophie's pain faded away until she no longer felt the pressing need to relieve her body of the baby. As much as she wanted to see her child, she didn't feel ready yet.

Martha pulled a chair and sat down properly. She ran her fingers through Sophie's tangled, sweaty hair. Her breathing was still agitated, but eventually she would calm down. Eventually, things would be normal again.

Sophie turned to her, shocked when a little dog jumped onto Martha's lap. Heen wagged his tail and inched closer to Sophie, though kept himself balanced atop Martha's legs. Sophie reached her hand to pet him, much to his liking. Sophie looked around the room. No one else came.

"Where are we?" She asked, her voice hoarse, like she had been sick.

Martha bowed her head. "We are in Mrs. Fairfax's home. This is where I trained for three years to become a witch."

"Why are we here?"

Martha's lips trembled. "I couldn't let them take you. I know they would have. And Howl wasn't-"

"Did you break a vision?" Sophie interrupted. Martha sniffled and looked to her. "Did you know that would happen and changed it?"

"No." Martha said. Her tears were more prevalent now. "Of course not. I'm am bound by this ability never to alter the events I see. This is the problem with my power. If I see something, I can't tell anyone about it, but if I don't, people look at me as if I did something wrong. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

Martha cried into her hands, the tears filling up and falling onto Heen's head. He turned his attention from Sophie to her, nuzzling under her chest in comfort. There was so much Sophie wished she understood about her sister's amazing abilities. Her powers were more confidential than Howl's or Markl's, and for good reason. If everyone could see the future, the world would turn into havoc.

Sophie pushed herself to a sitting position. With the pain subsided, she felt as if she hadn't gone through that ordeal. She rested a hand on Martha's shoulder. "It's okay. No one is blaming you."

"But you should." Martha removed her hands, displaying her reddened eyes and running nose. "I never should have gone to Howl's castle."

"Martha, if you hadn't gone to the castle, I would still be wondering where my baby sister was." Sophie swallowed hard. She hadn't thought of her sister in years. Even with the war, she assumed Martha was safe at school. How wrong she was to believe that. "Of course, things have been difficult lately, but you can't blame yourself for bad things happening. Bad things will always happen."

Martha nodded, though she didn't seem very convinced. Heen licked up until he reached her chin, and only then was she able to laugh. Martha rubbed her fingers against Heen's back and he wheezed from the enjoyment. Her smile was a saving grace, and for a brief moment she didn't find herself to be a burden.

Until her next vision.

Sophie had gotten used to this, having seen her receive many visions now. She blanked for a few seconds and then jolted back to reality. Sometimes she said it wasn't anything serious, but when they were it wasn't hard to tell.

When Martha's face dropped, that was usually a sign.

"What did you see?"

Martha blinked a couple times. "Howl's going to the Kingsbury Palace."

Sophie breathed a laugh, assuming it was a joke. However, Martha didn't seem that amused. Sophie sucked in a short breath. "You've got to be joking. Why would he go there? Of all places."

Martha shook her head. "I wish my visions told me why the things I see are meant to happen, but it just doesn't work that way."

Sophie darted her eyes back and forth. What on earth was Howl thinking? Maybe he thought she would be there. Maybe he was held captive and forced to go. Maybe he wanted to get revenge on Suliman for all the pain she's caused. That one seemed more likely. Whatever it was, all Sophie could think about was how soon they would be together again.

Heen jumped from Martha's lap to Sophie. He curled next to her on the bed, his tail wagging slower and slower as he nuzzled into a calming slumber. Martha reached for her hand and Sophie held on tightly. For now, she had part of her family. And that was better than being alone.

(—)

Anywhere was better than here. Well, maybe not the war-torn castle they had recently departed from, but he hadn't expected to appear at the edge of the capital, Kingsbury.

Howl seethed through his teeth. If he hadn't been thinking about ripping Suliman's throat maybe they could have gone to a happier place, like somewhere else in the Wastes or his old private study or even Ovela. No, Ovela was not a happy place to be in currently. He only wanted to go to Ovela if Sophie was there with him and Suliman's army was far from it.

But she was gone. Martha acted selfishly and took matters into her own hands. Watching her fall through that portal brought back the same fears he had when he saw her in a wedding dress with Prince Justin. He thought it was going to be the last time he would ever see her.

"No!" Howl jumped into the air and smashed the ground, the street rumbling a few stones out in each direction. His muscles tightened and shook uncontrollably. Without Sophie, he didn't know how to control his emotions.

"Would you quit acting like a baby?" Howl peered his head up to the old lady grimacing down at him. She crossed her arms. "You'll never get back to Sophie with that attitude."

Howl inhaled before standing up, his patience highly tested. "You do not realize the things that are going through my mind right now."

The Witch crossed her arms. She knew him better than he thought. "You're afraid you'll never see Sophie again. It's not the first time I've seen you like this. Any time she leaves, you have the same pouty face and act as if the world has just ended."

Howl lowered his gaze. "Without her, my world has ended."

The Witch rolled her eyes. "What a drama queen." Howl was two steps from zipping her mouth shut before she started walking down the stone street. He was insulted by the way she simply ignored him.

"Right, because losing my home, my friends, and the love of my life who is also carrying my child all in a matter of minutes isn't cause for being dramatic." Howl called out to her. She stopped for a moment, but continued walking. "Where are you going?"

"What's it look like?" The Witch turned around with an eerie smile. "I'm actually doing something worth my time. I could sit here and watch you mope for about the hundredth time or I could do something about that wretched Suliman."

Howl crossed his arms. "You want to get revenge on Suliman?" The Witch shrugged her shoulders and turned back toward the Palace. She was mad; going after Suliman wouldn't change the fact that his castle was destroyed and that they were all separated. He hadn't seen Kenta or Markl leave, and he assumed Calcifer was still attached to the fireplace unless he transported himself elsewhere.

Either way, they were all completely broken.

"Are you still sulking?" The Witch shouted. Howl hoped no one had heard them. It was late at night, and he didn't want anyone alerting the Kingsbury guards. He ran to her to shush her, but she merely grabbed his arm and pulled him forward.

"What are you doing?" Howl easily broke from her grip. "Approaching Suliman won't do anything."

"Won't it?" The Witch said. "This is your chance to get back at her for all the damage she's put you through. Your years of training under her only to find out she was using you for war; using Sophie to strip you of your magic - though you somehow evaded that; forcing her into marrying that psychotic Justin; and then destroying your castle. The list goes on of all the terrible things she has done, and not just to you. You're not the only one who lost pieces of yourself because of that wicked woman."

Howl creased his eyebrows. He hadn't seen her this fired up about anything in a long time. He wondered why she still held a grudge.

Then again, he still hadn't accepted Suliman's betrayal to him. To the rest of his class. Maybe it wasn't as farfetched of an idea as he thought.

The Witch turned on her heels and walked back toward the Palace. "Well then, oh great Wizard Howl. What's it going to be?"

(—)

It was one thing to be a prisoner under three obnoxious magicians. There, she had mild opportunities to banter and play tricks on them. It was another to be directly jailed by the Royal Sorceress herself. Here, she had nothing.

"Hey, be gentle! I'm not a toy!" Gwenda thrashed in the arms of a royal guard who held her by her arms. However, even his tight grip around her couldn't keep her still. Gwenda wasn't giving up without pushing her luck just a little further.

The guard was quiet, save for a few sighs and grunts. In the two minutes after Madame Suliman sentenced her to life in prison - though her mind was still dabbling over the death sentence - she had caused so much of a ruckus he wished Madame Suliman had turned to the guard next to him to bring her to the underground prison.

Gwenda tried keeping her feet planted on the ground, but the guard kept her moving. He lifted her up like a child, fitting to her tantrum. Most prisoners were not like her. They accepted their fate under the Royal Family. She was stubborn - a little too stubborn.

Gwenda glared at him. "I hope you realize I'm not going in there easily."

The guard rolled his eyes. "Trust me, I think I got that much." He held her hands together with one of his - the diameter of his reach highly impressive - unlocked a cell door with the other, and tossed her in next to another girl. Gwenda landed against the concrete, pushing her hand against the hard wall to break her fall. She seethed at the guard as he closed the door and locked it behind him.

She rushed toward the door and shook it, the metal clattering loudly in their ears. "You're an idiot for listening to that woman! She's a monster!" Gwenda rambled on as the guard walked away, pretending she didn't exist.

When her arms tired, she stopped shaking. One prison to another. This was not how she hoped things would play out. Her mind ran wild wondering what Suliman could be doing to her friends right now. She didn't want to be responsible for their pain, or even death. She was supposed to help them - now she was imprisoned for their sakes.

How she hoped they would tear Suliman down from her pedestal and rip her to shreds.

"Gwenda?" She froze at the soft voice behind her. This girl knew her name. She recognized her. And that voice was a symphony ringing in her ears, a voice that had been silenced for far too long.

 **So much going on! So many POVs now too, since they're all separated. I hope things didn't get too confusing. I've done separate POVs before and they all were pretty hard to understand, I hope the third person narration works better. I assume there are a lot of questions about what will happen, and I hope I can answer them in upcoming chapters. Though, I'm always open to hearing from you guys in reviews or PMs. If you have anything to ask, don't hesitate. I'll try and get the next chapter out by next weekend. Thanks for reading!**


	21. Creatures of Destruction

**Hello readers and writers! How are we doing on this wonderful day? I cannot begin to tell you the craziness I've been through these past few weeks. Exams, papers, the whole shebang. And I'm leaving for a tournament this weekend so I knew I needed to finish this chapter beforehand. And thank God I did! Well, I won't keep you waiting. Here you go!**

They counted the hours since the attack. They counted the number of people who had been lost and separated from their small banded group. They counted how long Kenta might have before he gave way underneath the rubble.

His breath was slow but he inhaled deep gulps, like he wasn't sure if this would be his last one. He gagged like he was close to vomiting, but nothing ejected from his body. Part of him wanted something to discharge; then he'd have a reason for appearing so weak.

Calcifer sat, fiery arms crossed, and watched with anxiety coursing through his being. They had been in hard times before, and nearly each time fought their way out. Giving up was never an option - but seeing Kenta in this state, watching him gasp for each breath and not being able to do anything to help.

It was Gwenda's kidnapping all over again.

A rumble in the sky shocked the three souls. Rain clouds - just Calcifer's luck. It seemed far off, but they weren't any closer to freeing Kenta than they were a day ago.

 _Had it really been a whole day?_ Calcifer thought to himself. There wasn't much to do to pass the time. Talking helped keep Kenta's mind off of his current situation, but the pressure atop him made it harder to continue long conversations. And with Markl's memories of magic still foggy, there wasn't much to do but watch the poor boy wrestle with his mind over what he should know.

"Think, Markl, think." He lightly punched his head, badgering his mind to jog back to his old self. It was as if a part of him had faded, like half of his personality just vanished. He felt incomplete; he felt useless.

The movement of his hands as he attempted spells seemed inappropriate. Kenta tried repeating spells to him, but just saying the words wasn't enough. Markl needed the motions to fall in place to fully enact the spell. With no recollection of his novice abilities, Kenta was simply waiting for his death sentence.

"You're going to hurt yourself, Markl." Kenta said with exhaustion. Markl peered up to him, his eyes glistening from Calcifer's flames. Kenta's shone as well, though the soul of his gaze was depressed. "Maybe take a break and try again when you feel like it."

"But I want to help." Markl said, his little fists shaking in front of himself. "I want to get you out of there."

Kenta nodded. "I know you do. But pushing your mind isn't going to do anything but make it harder for you to remember."

Markl attempted a rebuttal, but Calcifer interceded. "You've been at this for hours. Please, Markl. You need rest." Calcifer worried for the boy; he was already showing signs of sleep deprivation, even after his unconscious period. His eyes drooped like he had small weights pulling them down. He was wearing himself out - something Howl was victim to.

Like master, like apprentice.

Since the beginning of his apprenticeship, Markl had always pushed himself to be the best. Howl taught him a spell and Markl chanted it ten times over until he got it perfect. Calcifer sometimes saw him sneak downstairs late at night - especially when Howl was away - and read through spell books to get ahead of their lessons. Seeing how powerful of a master he had made Markl even more determined to be exactly like him.

Markl finally gave in. His wobbling legs bent and he dropped to the ground in a depleted state, his eyes immediately shutting. He may not have fallen asleep right away, but at the very least he was resting.

"He's a good kid." Calcifer turned to Kenta, his eyes closed but still conscious. "His perseverance in helping people is extraordinary."

"He is." Calcifer said. "He has a big heart."

Kenta nodded. He tightened his muscles and pushed up on the weight, though it made little difference. He had the strength to fight this, but he knew that internal, personal strength was not enough. Without the use of magic, he was helpless. He felt like a part of himself was withheld, just barely out of arm's reach - so close he could almost touch it.

"Here." Kenta dragged his eyes to Calcifer. The fire demon stretched his arms out and grabbed the smaller bits of wood. He added them to the pile of ashes below, livening his own being. _A fair trade,_ Kenta thought. Calcifer's own life support had slipped his mind.

Which made him curious of another thought. "Why don't you leave?"

Calcifer crinkled his eyebrows. "Leave?"

Kenta nodded. "You can teleport yourself out of here. Why do you stay?"

Calcifer breathed a laugh. "Where would I go? I could teleport to another fireplace but that's about it. I'd rather grow arms and legs and help you two out of this mess."

Kenta smirked. "You think you will grow arms and legs if you stay?"

"It's no different if I leave."

There was a long pause. It was either speak or stay silent. Sometimes they had a lot to discuss; and sometimes there was nothing to talk about at all.

Calcifer's eyes told his story like a open book. Kenta could see how much he felt cheated or restrained from the full potential of life. He had amazing powers, much stronger than any demon Kenta had ever encountered. Calcifer could have another thousand years to live - and in his eyes, all he wanted was the ticking clock of a human life.

Kenta cleared his throat. "Do you mind my asking when this… when you started thinking like this?"

Calcifer turned to him, Kenta's eyebrows raised, a sly smirk on his face. Calcifer shook his head. "If you're thinking it's because of Gwenda, then you're mistaken."

Kenta laughed, though the weight above him made even the smallest laughter hurt. "It would definitely be convenient, wouldn't it?"

Calcifer rolled his eyes, stopping them when the Palace was in sight. Very far, but the faint outlines of the tallest towers and flags blowing in the wind were very much noticeable. "I've been wanting this for a really long time. Before Gwenda, before Sophie, even before Markl came along. It just took all that's happened in the last year for me to understand the misfortune of not being a real person."

"Calcifer, how can you say that you're not a real person?" Kenta said in awe. "You're as real-"

"I've heard that before." Calcifer interrupted. "I'm as real as you and any other human. But that's just something humans say to either make me feel better or stop complaining. Maybe a little bit of both. I'm a very obnoxious complainer."

"So I've noticed." Kenta joked. "What changed then?"

Calcifer slumped in the broken fireplace, his flames low. He cleared his throat. "When Sophie became pregnant. Everyone was so eager to hold her stomach and feel the baby kicking. They looked so excited and happy. I knew that had I touched her, my flames would burn her and hurt the baby." His eyes wandered across the room. "I'm nothing but a creature of destruction."

"I know you understand your own strength, I've seen you do quite some amazing things."

Calcifer shook his head. "Moving a castle is nothing. Any demon can do that. Any wizard can do that."

"But you share a connection to this castle." Kenta dropped his eyes. "Or did, I guess. When I was moving the castle, I felt like a foreigner. This castle knows you as his guide. He trusts you."

Calcifer frowned. "And look what happened to him. He's as broken as he was in the junkyard we found him in." Calcifer had a habit of beating himself down, that was evident of his personality. For him, it was easy to find his flaws or misfortunes - which made his feelings toward Gwenda hurt even more. If he saw these many flaws in himself, who knew how many flaws she saw.

Kenta searched the rubble for the right words to say. Trying to brighten a fire demon's spirits was not as easy as he thought. And Calcifer was not easy to cheer up from his character alone. "Being human is not all that it's cracked up to be. There are so many restrictions and necessities in order to merely survive. Food, water, sleep. And death is not as far away as we like to pretend it is. You could live for eternity as a demon."

"You want to talk about restrictions and necessities?" Calcifer raised his eyebrows.

Kenta's cheeks reddened with embarrassment. "Sorry. I was just trying to make you feel better."

"I know." Calcifer smiled, though it was short-lived. His flames intensified. "You know your feelings for Lona, right?"

Kenta raised his eyebrows. "Of course. I love her more than anyone in the world."

Calcifer kept his eyes forward. "Imagine watching her be taken by someone while you can't even move your own body. All you can do is sit and wait for someone else to be the hero."

(—)

It was instinctual. After the years of separation, Gwenda finally was able to embrace Lona. She held on as if she would fall through the cracks in the floor if she didn't. Her heart melted when she felt Lona's arms wrap around her as well. Something about their last conversation - the yelling, accusations, and Gwenda storming out - made Lona's sisterly affection toward her more heartwarming.

"Lona, I can't believe you're here." Gwenda said, her voice shaky with fear. "Where have you been? It's like you just vanished and-"

"Gwenda." Lona interrupted. Her hair was ratty with a number of knots, nothing short of what Gwenda felt in her own long strands. The torn dress she wore was eerily familiar, though it was her fiery eyes that always shook Gwenda to her core. "I'm so sorry."

Gwenda creased her eyebrows. "Sorry? I'm the one who should be sorry. I was the one who pushed you away all because I didn't approve of your boyfriend."

"Gwenda?" The sisters turned to the prison cage next to theirs. Another group of two women - rather two friends of Gwenda. Beth and Mari, her fellow workers when she had been employed by the Royal Family. Last time she saw them, she had left her post in the kitchen to attend Sophie in her preparations for the wedding. Although, why they would be imprisoned by the Royal Sorceress was beyond her.

"What are you two doing here?" Gwenda rushed to the bars that separated the prison cells. There were two lines of prisons, about twenty cells total. Each cell contained roughly two to four prisoners, males separated from the females. Her friends shivered close to each other, careful to keep the warmth between themselves. It was extremely cold in the prison, though not as worse as the temperatures Noe kept for her. This was nothing less than what she was capable of handling.

Though her friends were not faring the same.

"Madame Suliman has gone mad." Beth said, her teeth chattering.

Gwenda scoffed. "Well, that's nothing new."

"She's losing it." Mari said, to this Gwenda became more intrigued. "She put us in here because we were close to you, even though we had no idea you had gone off with Sophie and Howl."

Gwenda sighed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She turned back to Lona, her sister sitting back listening. "I'm sorry about everything. I know I caused a lot of harm to all of you."

"We'd be in here either way." Lona said. "Whether we were associated with you or Howl or even Kenta…"

Gwenda widened her eyes. "Kenta!" She rushed to her sister and grabbed her hands tightly. "We have to find him, he's been looking for you."

Lona nodded. "I know." Gwenda blinked rapidly, though Lona expected her confusion. "I helped him escape from Madame Suliman. I was the dove who sent his note to Howl, but I haven't seen him since they reunited."

"That was you?" Gwenda asked. "You were the dove?" It had seemed odd that Suliman would request her lackeys to capture a flight of doves, but Lona was one of them. She had been with her in her former prison. If only she had known that dove was her sister.

Lona nodded with modesty. "I wish I knew he was okay."

"He is." Gwenda said. Lona shot her eyes upward. "He's with Howl and Sophie and the others. They're in his castle, we've been looking all over the country trying to find you."

Lona covered her mouth, her eyes glistening from the starlight. "You… you've seen him? How is he? Is he safe?" Her eyebrows crinkled as a realization set in. "When did you two start getting along?"

Gwenda laughed. How strange it seemed that not long ago they had been devoted enemies. Somehow, their search for Lona was the one thing they needed to get over their differences. Especially when he was injured, she knew she couldn't just leave him. She wanted him and Lona to be reunited.

"I know how weird that sounds." Gwenda said. "I don't blame you for thinking that, I definitely didn't give him any credit when you two were together."

Lona frowned and dropped her gaze. Her mind relived those moments when Kenta and Gwenda argued incessantly over even the pettiest of things. Both of them were too stubborn to quit, and it wasn't until Lona stepped in that they stopped their bickering. When he wasn't around, Gwenda would slip in some crude comments about him, Lona well aware of her motives. She knew they couldn't be around each other for much longer, but she couldn't help her feelings for him, either. It was then that she needed to make a choice.

Lona opened her mouth to speak, but Gwenda stopped her, sharing a genuine smile. "He really is a wonderful guy, even if he is a wizard."

"Wizard?" A hoarse voice came from one of the far-off cells. An elderly man grasped the bars with wrinkled fingers, his eyes narrowed at the two sisters. "Where? They're the reason why we're stuck down here."

Gwenda shook her head. "No. That cruel sorceress and the Royal Family are the reason why we're here. The magicians are not at fault."

"We're only imprisoned because of our relationship with them." A woman said across from Gwenda. "Brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, even parents. Madame Suliman took us right after they agreed to fight in her war."

"That's not true…" Gwenda turned to Lona, her wandering eyes floating to the ground. She caught her sister's gaze, slowly nodded in agreement with the woman.

"The Witch of the Wastes turned me into a dove." She said. "It was the same day Kenta left to report to the Palace."

Gwenda felt the chills becoming more present. The clothes on her back were not enough to keep the frigid air away, or maybe it was knowing that someone she had become close to was responsible for imprisoning innocent people simply based on association. She knew the Witch of the Wastes was a cruel woman before, but she didn't think she was cruel enough to work for Suliman.

Gwenda shook her head. "She's not the same person as then. She's changed, I've seen it. And so have the other magicians." Gwenda turned to the imprisoned humans, their frightened glares and shivering bodies unresponsive to her pleas. "The magicians in your family, they've all been brainwashed to do the things they're doing. Suliman has taken control of their abilities and used them for her own selfish purposes. Trust me, they are still good inside."

"Maybe." The elderly man said. "But I'm not willing to take that risk. They're destructive creatures. That's what I've seen and that's what I know."

Many heads nodded, more than those who agreed with Gwenda. All the trust they had before completely vanished the day Suliman had every element of success in the palm of her hand. Even knowing that their actions were not a result of their own doing, the imprisoned humans were completely against helping the magicians.

 **Looks like the humans aren't too happy about their magician friends. Poor Gwenda, trying to encourage them to believe in the magicians. And also for thinking that everyone is safe in the castle. She doesn't know the turmoil they've been through. But we finally see Lona! Only took about 21 chapters :P I know there wasn't much about her so far, but what are your thoughts on her? Will she be reunited with Kenta? Will he get out of that death trap in time to find her? Gahhh so many questions that I cannot answer at this time. But my spring break is coming up in a couple weeks and I am planning on going all out to post chapters! Till next time!**


	22. Speaking of the Middle

**Hello wonderful people of fanfiction! I have finally gotten around to the next chapter. My spring break did not go as I thought it would. Would you believe me if I told you I had three professors give me assignments over spring break? Ridiculous. Needless to say, I only did one of them and hurried at the beginning of the week to finish the rest, but I was slammed with so much. I had an interview for a job that I didn't get, so that put a downer on the week as well. I really feel bad for pushing this to the back burner on my list of things to get done, I know you all are just so amped up to see what happens next (at least, that's how I picture it in my mind). A bit of a short one, but the content may just surprise you. I'll shut up now. Here you go!**

The Palace was her home away from home. The grandeur physique, the elegant decor - she adored every bit of it. It was hard not to become wrapped up in the idea that one day this might all be hers.

One day, she might be Queen.

Princess was a much closer title, what with Justin only being the prince. But it was disheartening not to dream even just a little. Prince Justin and Princess Lettie, living happily ever after.

Lettie walked through the grand entrance as she had done dozens of times prior. She probably spent more time there than her actual apartment, but then again there wasn't much to go back to, anyway. After Gwenda moved out, it had become simply empty space.

Lettie smiled as she walked through the long, decorated halls. She was happy for Gwenda, no question about it. The Palace was in need of more employees, and Lettie could see that the bakery was not fulfilling to her dear friend. She always seemed in search of something, or someone for all Lettie knew. Even still, whatever it was that Gwenda was looking for, she couldn't find at the bakery. As saddened as she was to see her go, Lettie was all the more joyful to see Gwenda moving forward with her life.

Her new job became better for the both of them. Not too long after Lettie began visiting did she and Prince Justin start dating. There was something about him that was so alluring, and it wasn't his bright attire. He had the most upbeat personality; nothing could break his spirit.

A prince - how her mother gleamed with jewels in her eyes thinking of the future they had together. After one daughter's failed attempt at an arranged marriage, she was probably glad that this was a natural relationship that was headed somewhere.

Lettie stopped by a large window, opening her view all the way to the Wastes. Market Chipping was closer and clearer to see, though her sister's flower shop was a blur inside the bustling market town.

She didn't visit her sister enough; with all the time she had been spending at the Palace, she barely made it to work on time. A part of her felt guilty, remembering all the times Sophie would visit after she started working at the bakery. Then she remembered when all of those visits suddenly stopped.

She seethed at the sight of Howl's castle, walking proudly across the Wastes. He was a wretched man, worse than Sophie's former betrothed, Owen. Owen was simply too full of himself; Howl was a monster, preying on the hearts of young women like Sophie. She would never forgive him for taking her away.

While Sophie was safe now in their old family home running her own business, she seemed untouched by her brief captivity. She didn't talk about it much - when Lettie had the time to see her and actually converse with her - almost like it had never happened. Almost immediately she started dating someone, even took in his kid, Markl. While Lettie loved being an aunt to him, she couldn't help but wonder why Sophie continually evaded introducing her to Markl's father. She didn't even know his name.

Lettie laughed. How ironic would it have been if Sophie's new love was that wizard Howl. The thought had crossed her mind before, but it was so farfetched in her eyes that she immediately disregarded the idea.

Soft, clinking heels walked along the red carpeted hallway, Lettie darting her eyes to the culprit. As much as her blood boiled in Madame Suliman's presence, she couldn't control the shaking fear that spread throughout her entire body knowing that woman was nearing her.

"Good morning, Lettie." Madame Suliman said, a poised smile on her face. Every time she visited Justin, Madame Suliman was always wearing something different. Her wardrobe was an endless pit of expensive and exquisite attire - her personality was the bane of her existence. "I'm surprised to see you here this early."

Lettie held her stance strong, but she couldn't remove the trembling feeling inside that screamed to get away. "I figured I'd surprise Justin."

"How kind of you." Madame Suliman inched herself a bit closer, causing Lettie to take a forceful step back. It was no secret to Madame Suliman their differences - she just liked the game too much.

Lettie cleared her dry throat. "Well, if there's nothing else you would like to say-"

"Actually, there is." Lettie blinked. She wanted to avoid any confrontation with her at all costs. Whenever Madame Suliman was around her, she made sure to have Justin or Gwenda by her side. She couldn't stand up to her on her own.

Madame Suliman straightened her back. "The Royal Family is hosting a ball in two weeks."

Lettie nodded. "I'm well aware. Justin told me about it a while back."

Madame Suliman turned her head, avoiding eye contact. "Yes, but I would appreciate it if you would give an invitation to someone I believe you are quite familiar with." She pulled an envelope from her coat pocket and lightly placed it in Lettie's hands.

She turned the letter over to read the name on the back: _To Miss Sophie Hatter_

Lettie dropped the letter with trembling hands. Her fears returned, and stronger than ever. This was a plot, it had to be. Anything involving Suliman was a devious trick. She wouldn't be player in her games.

Madame Suliman bent down to retrieve the letter, in which Lettie crossed her arms to avoid taking it. Suliman appeared surprised. "Is there a problem? Aren't you just dying to reveal your relationship with Justin to your sister? Maybe you'll even see who she's hiding from you."

"I am not hiding Justin from anyone." Lettie said. Her voice was calm, firm. It was different from how she usually reacted in the Royal Sorceress' presence. She felt empowered; she would do anything to keep Sophie safe from her. "But I won't bring my sister into your twisted games, Suliman. Now I may love Justin, but I have no sympathy for you. Sophie has moved on from Owen, and you should, too."

Lettie exhaled a deep breath. She finally felt free.

Madame Suliman licked her lips, shockingly, a smile still present on her face. She leaned in closer to Lettie, her fears returning once more. "I'm glad we spoke."

(—)

A cup of hot tea was a natural relief. The relaxed mind relinquished all worries and refreshed the weary sisters. With the anxiety built up inside of Sophie, Martha made sure to place an extra spell to enhance the tea's solace. It was also a helpful touch for her own anxieties, as well.

Sophie released a calm sigh. "Thank you, Martha. For taking care of me."

Martha raised her eyebrows and stopped refilling her cup. Sophie's tea was doing wonders for her. She already appeared to have a content aura about herself. Martha, however, could not say the same.

She resumed her refill. "Of course, Sophie. I'd do anything to keep you safe."

Sophie ran a hand over her stomach. "Because of this baby. Because he or she will stop Suliman."

Martha placed the teakettle on the stove. "Because you're my sister." Sophie looked up, Martha's eyes firm on hers. "And I'm not making the same mistake of losing you, too."

Sophie sipped her tea with precaution to the searing heat. They had become rather comfortable in Mrs. Fairfax's home. Sophie couldn't pinpoint where in the Wastes they were, which may have meant they were safe from Suliman's army. However, Suliman was very familiar with this environment, and Sophie was not letting her guard down.

The kitchen was quaint, but very cozy. The house was long as opposed to wide, with one bedroom on either end of the layout. The afternoon light shone through the kitchen windows, making the room seem a little more open than it was. With such little space, Sophie wondered how at all Martha trained with Mrs. Fairfax save for the open wilderness of the Wastes. And for a new apprentice, that was not always the safest method.

Heen wheezed from the ground, begging both Sophie and Martha to let him rest on their laps. Martha bent forward and reached for his hefty body, letting him curl over her legs. She ran her fingers up and down his back as he nuzzled close to her, wagging his tail with excitement.

Sophie tapped her fingers against the wooden table. "So, Howl's headed for the Palace you said."

Martha shot her eyes up to her. "I know what you're thinking. We're not going."

"But he's out there all alone."

"No, the Witch of the Wastes is with him."

Sophie raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

Martha nodded. "She suggested that they go."

Sophie rolled her eyes with a groan. So much information was thrown at Sophie she couldn't pinpoint which was the most important to focus on. Howl and the Witch on their suicidal journey; Gwenda alone or imprisoned or being tortured simply from their association; and their disbanded family scattered and desperate for something good to come their way.

Sophie turned to her sister, though her eyes focused on the floor. "How much of your visions can you tell me?"

Martha dropped her hand from Heen's back. The curiosity would never cease, she knew that. Any magician she had come across on her journeys would attempt to weed out the secrets she had seen, hoping that they would reap riches or exploit the misfortunes of others. She knew her sister was better than that - but that didn't stop her from asking questions.

"Please." Martha spoke in a tone barely audible. "I can't."

Sophie creased her eyebrows. "Can't do what?"

Martha swallowed hard, biting her lip to still her chattering teeth. "I cannot reveal too much. As a Seer, revealing to those who cannot see can and will alter what I know."

Sophie leaned in closer. "You can change the future by what you say?"

Martha raised her gaze to Sophie, the need for answers exposed in her presence. She nodded. "Very mildly. By revealing future events, it allows you to stop them from happening. Thus, altering the future." Martha adjusted her seating and curled her hair around her ears. "There are also the same or even worse consequences if I change what I see."

"What do you mean?"

Martha licked her lips, he hands holding the ends of a few strands of her hair. "Well, I can tell you what I see and you can attempt to change that based on what you know. But me… I've _seen_ these events in their fullest, truest form. I know exactly how they start, how they will play out, and how they end. My power over the situation is infinite."

Sophie closed her eyes, shielding her pain. "Which is why you didn't save Lettie."

The light from Martha's eyes darkened as the vision of Lettie returned to haunt her once more. It was so long ago that she received this vision, but the memory was forever implanted into her mind. Some nights she awoke with lost breaths from the nightmares, Lettie's voice whispering lullabies in her mind. Not now, over a year since her death, could Martha forget the painful images she received. In moments like those, her gift was a curse.

 _It wasn't my choice,_ Martha continually reminded herself. She closed her eyes and breathed in until her lungs could not fill anymore. "I'm so sorry, Sophie."

Her warm hand touched hers, droplets falling down on Heen's head. He jostled around to see Martha's tearful face soaked and reddened, wheezing to empathize with her pain. Sophie reached her other hand around Martha's back, letting her release the tears she had held in for much too long. Martha told herself she'd never let the visions get to her - she never thought she'd experience one so personal, so intimately related to her own life. And not being able to stop it only made her curse this power even more.

Martha's voice was shaky and broken. "I hate being a Seer."

"Don't say that." Sophie said, almost like a command. She squeezed her shoulder with all the force she could muster. "This gift is a part of you. It's what makes you an amazing witch."

Martha sniffled and rubbed her fingers over her running nose. "It has also broken our family. You can't imagine the guilt I felt seeing the moment of Lettie's death and knowing that if I did anything to protect her, something worse might have happened. Maybe I would have lost both of you."

Sophie shut her eyes and held them closed for a while. "I understand how you feel. I felt that same guilt when I found out Suliman had been posing as Lettie for months, and I was too blinded by everything else that was going on to notice that my sister wasn't my sister."

Heen jumped off of Martha's lap as she moved toward Sophie, both standing for an embrace. Sophie ran her fingers through Martha's hair and they both cried in each other's arms, thankful to be in the presence of one another. Blame could have been thrown between both of them, but what was done is done. The middle of the Hatter sisters was gone - the memory of her spirit all that was left of her.

When Martha had composed herself enough, she returned to her seat. She lifted her teacup only to find no steam exhuming from the drink. With a wave of her hand, she warmed hers as well as Sophie's. Heen returned to his comfort atop Martha, begging for her to scratch and pet his petite body.

Sophie tapped the table once more, another pressing thought still edged into her mind. "I want to know."

Martha took a sip. "Know what?"

"How it happened." Martha nearly spit her tea back in the cup. Sophie's visage was stoic. "I want to know how Lettie died."

 **I wonder how many of you have thought about that since Thorns... how did Lettie die? What did Martha see in her vision? I wanted this to be purely about the Hatter sisters, we haven't seen a chapter yet just with all them. Any thoughts? I'd love to hear them if you have time. Updates will not be as common (which they never are but hey, I do my best) because I just got three large essays put onto my plate of all the other things I need to get done as well. For those of you not in college yet and planning on being an English major, PREPARE FOR LONG, CRITICAL ESSAYS! I cannot stress this enough, it's a living, beautiful nightmare. I say beautiful because I still love reading and writing. See you next time!**

 **RANDOM FACT: Because of the Studio Ghibli movie, I modeled Lettie after what Martha looked like in the book and vice versa. It was easier since Lettie had blonde hair in the movie and I still wanted Sophie to have a magical sister. Their appearances are essentially just switched from the books' perspective (sorry book lovers).**


	23. Never Good Enough

**I'm just gonna start with this straight up: this has been the longest between updates probably for any fanfic I've written. You would not believe me if I told you how many essays I had to write this month (1 for one class, 2 for another, and 2 for a third class). I was so drained it took me way too long to get to this and I apologize. I said I'll never leave a fanfic uncompleted and I will keep to my word :) This chapter is a little different from most, but here you go!**

Their years of training had brought them to this moment. Years of practice, mistakes, hours of studying and competition - this was their first test of approval from Madame Suliman.

She sat in her chair, completely at ease. Her little statues stood perfectly still in a row, waiting to be summoned. She had already gone through the lot of her novice apprentices, determining their worth to her by their skills. She had seen a variety of magicians and their sources shining with potential and vigor, but she had yet to see her prize students.

The name _Howl Pendragon_ appeared on her magical orb. The orb ranked students in their current professional state of magic, and it was no surprise that he was near the end of the orb's list. By the end of his apprenticeship, she expected him to be her highest rank.

She saw the young man fidget at the mentioning of his name. She smiled. "Come forth." He broke away from the line and took ten strides toward her, still a fair distance away. She waved her hand, palm facing upward, indicating that he should begin.

Howl exhaled quickly. His eyes were closed and his hands moved around an invisible sphere. He transferred his weight between his legs, bending one knee and then moving to the next. Under his breath, he whispered a low and dangerous spell, and Madame Suliman was pleased. Very pleased.

The open room with a wall of windows darkened entirely, even from the outside. A black orb took the place of the sun in the sky. The students clutched to one another, frightened of their fellow classmate. Howl paid no mind to their whimpers or signs of fear - he was only here to earn one person's approval.

He pushed one hand toward the ground and the other into his chest. The darkness was infinite; he had no boundaries to his abilities. Suliman had taught him how.

In an instant, the light flushed through the cold space. The room returned to its tranquil state and their fear was no longer visible. Even so, now that Howl's source was revealed as darkness, he had now become a threat.

Madame Suliman clapped slowly, as she did for her previous apprentices as a form of praise. There was something in the way she rewarded Howl, however, that made it obvious of her favor toward him. It was no surprise to the rest.

Madame Suliman waved him off to rejoin his class. _Noe Bridges_ appeared on the orb next. The girl with the long, curly pigtails walked proudly past Howl, intentionally hitting his shoulder on her way. He forced himself not to retaliate, though so many would have enjoyed to see another fight from him - especially against Noe.

Noe bowed with a curtsey to Madame Suliman prior to her demonstration. She sat cross-legged on the tile floor until the spell raised her a few inches off the ground. She exposed a vision on the glass wall, Suliman turning around to see the premonition. Though no one could see, Suliman's eerie smile was as ever present as before. This was something she could make use of.

She nodded and the orb called upon her next apprentice. Kenta Lee, who skillfully performed a natural disaster using all four of the main elements. His fluidity transferring between contrasting elements clearly showed his growth from his premature battle with Howl on their first day. Madame Suliman nodded with approval.

Nade Obel approached the center of the room, his muscles flexed. He cracked his neck on both sides before positioning himself. His source caught the room by surprise; after he jumped into the air and smashed his fist into the ground, the room's gravitational pull fell off balance. The apprentices fell into the air, Madame Suliman the only one prepared. Nade casted a prideful grin toward her, in which she nodded and sent him back to the line. He returned the balance to the room, his fellow classmates falling from whatever height they had floated to, and rejoined the line of students.

 _Xarx Atwood_. Madame Suliman stared at the orb. She was astounded to see his name last on the list. She thought she had seen all of her apprentices at this point. He was hardly talented, even his classmates knew that. His skills were worthy of magical hat-making or selling potions by the seaports.

She narrowed her eyes at the young man, his trembling body taking shaky steps toward her. He dared not to look her in the eye; only the proudest of her students did. Xarx - an apprentice whom she questioned her judgment in accepting him to her apprenticeship on multiple occasions - was too frightened to face her.

"Well, come on." Madame Suliman said with force. "Share your skills."

Xarx turned to the side, his eyes closed and a light whimper escaping his lips. Madame Suliman rolled her eyes and waiting impatiently for him to do something. He didn't.

"Are you going to prove yourself or not?"

He choked on his words. "No, Madame. I cannot."

"Well, why is that?"

Xarx licked his lips. The whispering chuckles from behind rang loud in his ears. The embarrassment was as real as his shame. "It's just that I… I um…"

"Spit it out, child!" Madame Suliman shouted, her hands gripping the arms of her seat. The students widened their eyes, whispers traveling left and right. Her use of the word 'child' on a man in his late teens only furthered his humility.

Xarx lifted his head slowly, though his eyes continued to evade Madame Suliman's gaze. "I have not discovered my source yet, Madame. I apologize for the inconvenience."

Silence filled the expansive room. Not even a breath could be heard, as most of the students were in such disbelief they held their breaths in for a long while. They moved their gaze between Xarx and Madame Suliman, waiting to see who would make the first move. Howl whispered something to Kenta, but his gaze was far too focused on Xarx to have heard anything his friend had said.

The sunlight gleaming through the windows darkened as the clouds moved in. Xarx bowed, one arm pressed against his back and the other shielding his back. He expected an array of spells as punishment, trying to teach him a lesson or two. He expected a brutal attack.

Madame Suliman stood up and walked away.

"That is all the time I have left. You all did well, my students. But I have higher priorities to attend to." She finished her sentence as she exited, not a second glance in Xarx's direction. He stood up and stared at the door; she simply walked away.

The students gradually dispersed. Nade and Noe approached him, both containing their laughter. Nade patted his back. "Don't worry about it, Xarx. I'm sure you'll impress her next time."

Noe snorted. "Sure, once he figures out his source. Until then, you better hope she keeps you in the apprenticeship."

Xarx widened his eyes. "You think she'd kick me out?"

Noe shrugged her shoulders, a wide grin planted on her face. "I don't know. But if I were you, I wouldn't want to find out."

Howl chatted to Kenta as they departed, hardly taking a breath in-between his long speech on how well they performed. He didn't take much notice to the three remaining magicians, but Kenta had. He stared at Xarx until his eyes locked onto his - they were both thinking the exact same thing.

(—)

The Palace had become a lonely place. The only reason for so many people walking about was a result of the number of employees the Royal Family had hired over the years. Maids, guards, chefs, dozens upon dozens of workers, and all were stuck for life.

Noe walked through the grand hallway with her head held high. She wrapped her fingers together behind her back and her broomstick floated next to her. She didn't care to communicate with the help. She hardly enjoyed conversations with the wealthy of Kingsbury. Her source was so powerful she could experience one person's future in a matter of seconds - there was no point in making friends when she knew what their fate was.

Her friendship with Nade and Xarx was much simpler - they all agreed never to use their magic on one another. Though it was much harder - and more secretive if she had done so - to constrain her abilities, she knew better than to stand up to Nade's source.

She had dabbled with the idea of envisioning Xarx's fate, seeing as he was hardly a worthy magician during their apprenticeship, but she didn't think his future would hold anything too interesting for her, anyway.

But as a team, they were all on opposite ends of each other. She was smart, cunning, and quick to making decisions. Nade was too lazy to do anything even with his exceptional power, and Xarx was too weak to even try.

Noe rolled her eyes. Madame Suliman should have given up on him years ago, she thought. He was only dragging the rest of her more powerful magicians down by stringing him along. It shocked her to see Xarx on special operations with her and Nade, two of her top students. The only chance he had to prove himself was during their test of approval - and he failed.

She had also dabbled with removing Xarx herself, though she would not lift a finger unless Madame Suliman ordered her to.

Noe paced through the hallways and came across Madame Suliman herself, staring out one of the large windows that overlooked the capital Kingsbury. Her insides flustered and she felt a strange nervousness. This was her opportunity to make something of herself.

Noe walked, chin high and a straightened back, toward Madame Suliman. "Good evening, Madame."

She did not turn in her direction. "Beautiful sunset, isn't it?"

Noe blinked twice, unsure of how to respond for quite some time. "Oh, um… yes, of course. I especially love the sun at this hour."

Madame Suliman chuckled. "Yes, I can see." She finally turned toward her. "I believe the mission I requested was successful."

Noe crossed her arms with a huff. "Yeah, I'm surprised those dimwits were able to pull it off without my help."

"I needed to challenge them."

Noe crinkled her eyebrows. That was a challenge to her? Noe could have completed that mission in a couple of hours, while it took Nade and Xarx a few days. Madame Suliman would have been successful in a matter of minutes.

Madame Suliman folded her hands together. "It appears that you have a request for me."

Noe fumbled and scratched the back of her head. Nothing slid past the Madame. "Actually, yes. There is. I was wondering if maybe…" She stumbled with her words, trying to say what she was lightly. But the Madame was more heartless than she was.

Noe locked eyes with Madame Suliman, her confidence reborn. "I personally think Nade and Xarx are pulling me down when I can be taking on much bigger responsibilities. I'm a loyal servant to you and I think I would be more beneficial if I were to work alone under your command."

She didn't appear surprised. Maybe she had noticed it in her for quite a while; maybe Noe was more of an open book that she had led on; maybe it was what she wanted.

Madame Suliman placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know exactly what you want, and I have a special task if you accept the challenge."

Noe's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Yes, anything."

"I'm sure it is something you will enjoy, as well." Madame Suliman said with a sneer grin. "Terminate Howl and his friends. I don't want a single one of them breathing by the time you're done. Do this, and you will become my successor."

Noe nodded in obedience. "It would be my pleasure."

(—)

The Palace had stayed stagnant through the years. The same dark hallways, same servants working day in and day out, same Royal Family making the same decisions as their predecessors. They were not very fond of change, and it was evident in nearly every aspect of their lives.

"Man, is it great to be back." Nade slapped Xarx's back as they walked through the halls. His overbearing confidence frightened the lowly employees. Most shuddered in his presence and did their best to keep out of his way. Xarx never had that effect on people.

Xarx nodded. "It's nice to come back to something familiar."

"Familiar?" Nade creased his eyebrows. "I meant the service. Buffets going on all day and so much time to relax."

"We're still at war, you know."

Nade waved him off. "Yeah, but that's not our problem right now. We were chosen for more important missions. Better than risking our lives on the frontline, huh?"

Xarx exhaled. "Yeah, sucks for people like Redford and Nolan."

Nade rolled his eyes. "They wanted to be in the action. Remember during the apprenticeship when we were given our positions?"

Xarx nodded. It was a few weeks before the end. Madame Suliman had given all of her apprentices an oath that required them to return to the Palace whenever summoned. They were all given a position to fill upon their return. Many were given warrior or soldier, as was expected in the case of a war. However, a few were given more advanced positions.

Noe, as she always proudly reminded everyone, was given reconnaissance. She was the first to be summoned, not so long after their apprenticeship ended, and she obeyed immediately. Nade and Xarx were both given special operations. It was clear to Nade why he was chosen - it wasn't so clear to anyone why Xarx was chosen.

Xarx shrugged. "I guess we got lucky."

Nade patted his shoulder. " _You_ got lucky. I was always going to be working close to Madame Suliman. She wouldn't risk losing one of her prize magicians."

Xarx smirked. "Is that why Howl always beat you in school?" He kept walking a few steps before he realized Nade had stopped in his tracks. He turned halfway, only to be surprised by a forceful attack. Nade held Xarx against the wall, his fingers pressing down against his throat. Xarx struggled to remove himself from his hold; Nade had much more physical strength than he ever could.

"Don't you ever compare me to that desolate, washed up deadbeat." Nade's voice growled low. "You hear me?"

Xarx coughed as he struggled to breathe and Nade released his grip to give him some air. He still kept his hand over his throat to hold him in place. Xarx melted into the ground and flowed underneath Nade. He transformed back into his human form and took a fighting stance, arms out in front with fists.

Nade chuckled. "Really? You chose the wrong opponent." As Xarx rushed in for a physical attack, Nade disappeared and reappeared behind him, kicking the center of his back. Xarx flew against the wall, leaning on one hand to readjust himself. He struggled to exhale from the surprise strike. His mind focused on the pristine wall before him; he never paid much attention to the details of the Palace before.

By the time he turned around for his next attack, Nade was out of sight. Xarx kept his guard up, unsure of if he had walked away or was preparing for another attack. His heart beat faster with each unknowing second until he heard a faint snicker coming from behind him.

Before he could make a decision, Nade had altered the gravitational pull of the hallway. While he stayed upright, Xarx fell completely out of balance and struggled to find his footing. Nade basked in the triumph of Xarx's weakness as he watched his continuous fall. After he felt Xarx had learned his lesson, he returned gravity to the hallway. Xarx fell from the ceiling to the floor, defeated.

He pushed against the ground to stand up, but Nade grabbed hold of his messy hair and slammed his face into the floor. Drops of blood fell onto the unsoiled carpet, blending in with the vibrant red. Nade held his head up again, otherwise Xarx would have kept himself flat on the ground.

Nade leaned into his ear. "Don't ever challenge me again. Next time, you're dead."

Xarx mumbled something under his breath, but it was so incoherent Nade simply tightened his grip on his hair in response. He seethed through his teeth from the pain.

Nade bit his lip. "You've seen the strength of my source. When it comes to magic, I'm in charge."

Xarx turned his head slightly, his eyes narrowed. "Why don't you tell Madame Suliman that?"

Nade gritted his teeth. "You're weak, Xarx. You never should have entered the Madame's apprenticeship because she has no use for you. Hell, you didn't even know your source by the end of our apprenticeship!" Nade laughed heartily in mockery of Xarx's frailty. "Did you ever find what channels your magic?"

Xarx glared at him, but stayed silent.

Nade shook his head with a proud smirk. "Get someone to clean that up for you." He released his grip on him, letting Xarx drop his head back to the ground. He straightened his vest and walked away.

"You'll never be good enough for Madame Suliman." Nade said from afar. "No matter how hard you try."

 **Poor Xarx... gotta make one of the bad guys look somewhat decent. No way for Suliman to come from that, I've tainted her character too much. But on the subject of Xarx: do you guys know his source? Does he know it? We'll see more of that coming up. I have two finals this week and then I'm done so I will be back writing and with faster updates! Thanks for your patience and good luck with the end of the year!**

 **RANDOM FACT: Suliman's School for Apprenticing Magicians is loosely based off of Hogwarts (if you couldn't tell already). It was hard not to make them similar. Also, Kenta I've realized is like the Avatar because he can use all the elements, but I thought it would be cool :)**


	24. Creatures of Light

**Hello readers and writers and hello summer! I know the official day isn't for a few weeks but no school is pretty much summer. I hope everyone's finals went well and if you're still in the middle of them, then good luck! We are slowly making headway in this story, but I do apologize for making things run slower with my embarrassingly slow updates. I've been in such a rut the last few months and writing has been an extreme struggle for a while, so I'm sorry if that's affected how this story is playing out. This chapter is a pretty long one so I'll let you get to it now. Thanks for waiting and enjoy!**

There was hardly a soul who didn't fear the Royal Sorceress. Her might in the forces of magic and vast knowledge of the world overwhelmed the land of Ingary so well that no one, not even the Royal Family, were confident enough to stand up against her magic.

And she knew this very well. She made sure no one would question her or become more powerful than she. For if just one soul discovered her weaknesses, if just one lucky person figured out the secrets she locked deep inside herself, then everyone would see behind the mask she built around herself.

"How was that, Mother?"

Madame Suliman pulled her gaze away from the pouring rain trickling down the pristine glass windows of her sanctuary. This was her comfort; her realm of control. She nodded toward her son. "Yes, Owen. You're powers are definitely improving."

Owen crossed his arms. "Shall I perform again, hoping you'll watch me this time?"

Suliman, having been outed by her son for her neglect, sighed. "I have a lot on my mind. I would prefer that we train at a later date."

Owen scoffed. "Of course. Always later, and never now." He turned to walk out, though he felt a pressing urge to do the exact opposite. She never fought for him, never praised him in front of her other amateur students. He was far more intellectual in the art of magic than most of them combined. He had given her everything, and now he wanted more from her.

Owen held his stance. "Why is this Howl Pendragon more important than me?"

He couldn't see her, but he knew his mother was appalled by the accusation. She always was when he mentioned Howl's name. "Owen, that is completely out of place and out of context. You are my son."

"Only by chance." Owen scolded. He turned with a burning rage toward Suliman. "Had Howl been fortunate enough to be your son you would gladly show him off to everyone, to the entire kingdom!"

"That is enough." Suliman stood from her chair and walked rigidly toward Owen. "You are acting like a child. I did not raise you to be envious. You have had everything you ever needed or wanted for twenty-two years all because of me, because of the status I have held for half a century! I will not be spoken to in such a vile tone from my own son."

"I won't stand to be second best anymore." Owen said, his eyes returning to the glare of his mother's. "Why do you favor him over me? Why do you favor all of your students over me?"

Suliman refused to speak. Her breath was heavy and fast-paced as she exhaled through her teeth. Owen would not release his glare against hers, hoping for some form of honesty from his mother. She was beyond wisdom; she was beyond talent; but as a mother, she failed him day after day.

And in that glance, in that brief moment she saw how her son really saw her - and her mask dropped.

Owen stared wide-eye at her. He didn't know how he couldn't see it before. Or maybe he chose not to see it. As much as she played him as this amazing magician and gave him so many opportunities to learn from the masters, she would always see him as a disgrace to their family.

Owen clenched his fists. He couldn't look at her. "Is this because of who I am?"

Suliman turned her back and walked to her chair. "Howl Pendragon is the magician I have been looking for since before you were even born. I will not let this opportunity go to waste."

"Fine." Owen said. "Then I guess you won't have to worry about your humiliating son anymore."

Suliman turned around, but before she could refute, he had disappeared from her sight. She sat calmly in her chair and called for one of her servants. "Please send in Howl Pendragon. It is time for our lesson."

(—)

Her mind was a blank; or rather a void, black hole pulling her in deeper and deeper until she had lost her way around. Everything turned to nothingness; nothing made sense to her anymore. Suliman had ways of doing that to a person.

"Gwenda." Her eyes opened. Though the void was gone, she still stared at emptiness. Concrete walls held them captive, barred openings restricted the amount of sunlight brought in, and defeat floated around the entire prison to each victim. Lona knelt next to the prison bed, waiting for Gwenda to rise. "I think you should speak with George again."

"What for?" Gwenda said, her voice still in slumber. "To tell me off again and insult the magicians even more? No thanks."

Lona sighed. "I think you can change his mind."

Gwenda breathed a laugh. "He seems pretty set on himself."

Lona reached her hand and held Gwenda's. Her eyes pleaded with Gwenda. "Please. You're better at making a convincing argument than I am. You're the only person I know who can change their minds."

Gwenda closed her eyes once more. Lying around and waiting for someone to come was not working. It was easier pretending that everyone would be fine until their eventual rescue and then they would see the good in magic. Gwenda was tired of arguing; she was tired of defending herself against people who wouldn't listen to her. Then again, she wasn't the type of person to wait for action; she made action happen.

With the energy she regained from her brief rest, Gwenda sat up on the bed and hung her legs off the side. She paused until the rush in her head passed and she could clearly see the room. Most of the prisoners were resting in the uncomfortable hanging beds or sitting on the ground with the same blank expressions. Prison was meant for people who committed actual crimes, yet Suliman used them to contain innocent bystanders for her own control. Unsurprising to her, Gwenda continually found qualities of Suliman that only enraged her even more.

Lona took her seat as Gwenda stood and walked to the cell door. In the cell next to her, Beth and Mari sat across from each other, their dim gazes staring at the tiny bits of rubble on the floor. They seemed as willing to help her as anyone else in the room. She had hoped that their friendship would be enough to encourage them.

Gwenda held the icy bars and leaned her head as close to them as possible. George tossed a pebble in the air in his cell and grumbled under his breath when he didn't catch it. She stood there for a while until he saw her staring. He rolled his eyes and threw the pebble in the air again. "What do you want now, little lady?"

"I want you to reconsider your position." Gwenda said. She looked around the room. "All of you. These are your friends and family in danger and-"

"They had their chance." George said, her voice stern. "I told my son, he could stay home and train with his aunt or he could go to Suliman's school and never come home. He made his choice years ago and I stand by my word."

Gwenda bit her tongue. "I remember when I was little, I saw the lines of young magicians waiting to see Madame Suliman to enter her school. Why didn't you trust her then?"

George scoffed. "Like many people did. She used fear in order to gain power, that was clearer than anything. I didn't want my son associated with that kind of magic, but he was blinded by becoming a renowned wizard."

An older woman in the cell next to him joined the conversation. "You talk as if she was always that way."

"Once she became Royal Sorceress, she did. I'm telling you, Somer, that kind of power does not belong to one person. She has taken advantage of magic."

"I'm not disagreeing with you, George." Somer reached her hand into his cell, though George was reluctant to take it. "I just miss Nolan."

George tightened his grip around the pebble and his hands shook from the pressure. He threw it against the bars, the clang echoing throughout the room. He turned to Somer with red eyes. "I miss him, too. But that doesn't erase the terrible things he's done to us by leaving and joining her army."

Gwenda heard a soft cough from behind her, close behind. Lona crept up next to her, though her intent was toward George and Somer. "This ring was given to me by a wizard." She held her hand out for them to see the square diamond bound inside a gold band. "His name is Kenta, and he studied under Suliman and he joined her army as well. I'm not saying he made the right decisions, but he made the decisions he thought would keep me safe. Everything he has ever done was out of love, and I believe your son would see his wrongdoings if you forgave him."

George licked his cracked lips. "My son never wanted to use magic for the right reasons. Your lad may have done so out of love, but believe me when I say Nolan joined Suliman out of spite against us."

Lona's eyes appeared to well up and Gwenda held her shoulders in comfort. Sad, personal stories always had a great impact on her sister, and depending on the story it could usually bring her to tears. Their childhood was practically a sob story, but Lona placed their situation under the rare cases. She pretended that every other family situation was perfect and theirs was merely an unlucky occurrence. Facing reality was not easy for her.

Lona turned away and sat against the bars, biting her lip to hold the tears in place. She whispered a list of things - which Gwenda remembered from when their mother left - of things that could never change and things that made her happy. She whispered things like chocolate covered strawberries and dad's cooking and their dog begging for treats. There were a few new things added to the list, things like how much she loved Kenta and finally being with her sister again.

Gwenda inhaled a heavy breath. "What about the rest of you? You must love these magicians if you were important enough to be taken away from them." Some of the prisoners looked up, but others hardly paid any mind to her. Gwenda grasped the bars tighter. "I have friends, too, that are in danger because they are trying to put an end to Suliman's reign of terror. They are humans and magicians alike and are giving their lives to save you and your loved ones. Wizards like Howl Pendragon, the one who used to walk around in his castle and supposedly ate the hearts of women. The Witch of the Wastes, who used to work for Suliman is now trying to stop her along with my friends Sophie, Markl, Kenta, Martha, Calcifer-"

"Gwenda, I think you've made your point now." Lona said softly.

"No!" Gwenda shouted to her. "Obviously I haven't if they still don't want to help. I've been afraid of magicians since mom left with that manipulative jerk and destroyed our family. I've been angry at magic because of what it did to us, but now I see that one wizard cannot define an entire population of them. I have seen so much good in the abilities of my friends that I doubted everything I used to believe in. I've seen the Witch of the Wastes turn from doing all the horrible things she did to living the rest of her life doing good for others. If that change is possible, I can't wait to see what the future holds."

Gwenda dropped to the floor next to her sister and held her hand tightly. At that point, Gwenda didn't care if they decided to do something or just sat in their cells. She was more concerned with where her friends were and if they were still alive. Her last contact was with Calcifer, and their window of opportunity had slipped away.

Calcifer. Gwenda tried not to think about him, but he was the only one on her mind after his attempt to save her. His words pierced her heart as she repeated them over and over in her mind. He loved her; he truly loved her. All the little moments they had together, their late night conversations, his attitude whenever she was around him, even the way he spoke to her - she had blocked love from her world for so long she had forgotten the signs to look for.

She had forgotten how to feel love. She'd been hurt so many times, she didn't know if she could do it again. For years, Gwenda built up a wall around herself, restricting those from knowing her and restricting herself from freely giving herself away again. Before she knew it, Calcifer had learned how to break that wall. Without question, she let him.

Love was not easy for Gwenda. But she knew Calcifer - he wasn't the type of person to walk away from anyone.

She noticed Beth and Mari staring at her from the corner of her eye. As she turned, they held soft smiles - hopefully smiles. Maybe a few more would have hope as well.

The door to the prison opened and four guards entered the room. The prisoners jostled around and cowered in fear - George was right about Suliman's fear tactics.

"Gwenda and Lona Maguire." One of the guards said.

Gwenda turned to them, standing proudly on the other side of the bars. "Yes, what do you want?"

The guard motioned with his hand toward her and two guards unlocked their cell. As quickly as they opened the door, they handcuffed the sisters and dragged them out of the cell. Neither Gwenda nor Lona resisted.

"What's this for?" Gwenda said with clenched teeth. "You can at least say where you're taking us."

The main guard led them to the exit. "The Royal Family has requested your presence immediately."

(—)

A slow and agonizing torture was worse than any curse he had encountered. The weight upon his lifeless being had deteriorated every bit of strength, courage, and hope. He feared the worst at this point.

"Markl, help me clear the smaller pieces." From a faded perspective, Kenta watched as Calcifer instructed Markl on how to ease the load atop of him, hoping that doing something was better than waiting for the end to come. Markl removed the smaller pieces of wood first and added them to Calcifer's fire. He went through wood faster than most fires, but he had more to support. He kept their environment free of the chilling night weather and hid them well from Suliman's army and whatever beasts were wandering in the Wastes. His powers were a true gift.

Kenta coughed out dust and soot. His voice made him sound like he had smoked for decades. "I don't think this is helping."

"It will." Markl said, his mind set on this one task. He spoke as his arms moved nearby pieces from Kenta to Calcifer. "We'll get you out of there, even if I can't use my magic."

Kenta tried raising his hand, but he could barely feel it. His hands lay downward as if he were strapped by handcuffs. Trapped, helpless, a misfortunate victim - all things he remembered from his forced entrance into Suliman's army. However, he didn't have a dove or Howl to get him out of trouble this time.

"Maybe if I move my fire over you, I can burn the wood. Then, all that would be left is hot metal." Calcifer said as Markl dropped more scraps of wood over him. Kenta fixed his exhausted eyes to Calcifer, the fire demon growing red with embarrassment. "I guess that would hurt more than help, huh?"

Kenta nodded as best he could. "Probably, yes." As Markl removed a larger piece, a low crashing movement pushed toward Kenta, dropping the rubble that lay higher above further down to replace what Markl took. Markl frowned and threw the wood onto Calcifer, taking the fire demon by surprise.

The boy stomped away. "Argh! Why is this so difficult? Why can't I just remember what to do?"

Kenta shook his head. "Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. It's like you're learning the basics over again."

"I hate the basics!" Markl threw fists by his side and bowed his head. "I hate having to do everything over again. I've trained with Master Howl for years and half the time I was teaching myself. Why can't I just be a master like you and Howl? Why can't I just be a wizard?"

Calcifer turned to Kenta, who merely stared at the boy with regretful eyes. After all the years of hard work and dedication, he was back to the beginning. Kenta was at a loss of words.

Markl returned to feeding Calcifer with the wood, using what muscle strength he had to attempt to remove the heavier pieces away. Kenta appeared relieved at times, but the entire load pressing down on him would crush him before Markl made even a dent. The emergence of the sunrise was a glimmer of hope for Kenta. He closed his eyes and embraced the warmth, enjoying this simple gift.

Markl threw a burly plank of wood, one of the broken stairs from the castle, over Calcifer to the other side of rubble. Calcifer glanced between the boy and where the plank landed, much farther than a boy his age was capable of. Markl wiped his forehead and huffed. Calcifer narrowed his eyes, watching as Markl threw piece by piece across the space, all falling near the first plank.

Kenta shot his eyes open when he felt the pressure against his chest relieved. He took in deep breaths, something he was restricted of for a long while. Markl paid no mind to Kenta's relief and continued his haul. The light from the sun poured out like a golden waterfall against Markl's back like an energy source - or rather a magical source.

His movements seemed instinctual. The sunlight fed into Markl's motions. One moment he physically heaved the heavy weights off of Kenta's limp body and the next he was using the powers that seemed so distant from his memory. This wasn't brute force - this was pure magic. He pressed the heels of his hands together, conjuring a white light and it gleamed in Kenta's direction. Calcifer shielded himself from the brightness. Markl whispered the words Kenta had been rehearsing to him, only this time everything clicked in his mind.

The rubble vanished into the light, mostly disintegrating into ash. Kenta nearly toppled onto the ground as he took his first deep breath in over a day. He knelt on the ground as he coughed roughly. His muscles tingled from the lack of use and he struggled to gain control of them at first. He moved his arms and legs around to bring the feeling back to them, but he was more amazed with how he was free in the first place.

He looked up to Markl, the boy jumping with joy. "I did it!"

Calcifer darted his eyes between the two of them. "How did you… what did you do?" Markl stopped jumping as he searched his memory. It happened so quickly and he didn't have to think twice about what to do. It just happened.

Kenta walked on shaky legs toward him. "It was the sun, wasn't it?"

Markl's eyes widened. "You're right. I felt the sun on my back and there was this burst of energy in me. All the spells, the motions… everything just made sense again."

Kenta smiled. "For some reason, I thought you were a magician of light."

"Light?" Calcifer stared wide-eye at him. "Are you sure? That's such a rare source."

"And one that fits Markl's personality perfectly." Kenta said. He turned to the boy, whose eyes were filled with wonder. "Your powers are strongest in the light of day, something you may have noticed but didn't think too much of. I guess it took losing your magic for you to find everything you need."

Markl bowed his head, his mind revolving around this new revelation. A creature of light - looking back, he couldn't tell how it wasn't more obvious to him, or even to Master Howl. His training focused on releasing one's source, but Markl's magic was slow in the process. Knowing what he was, knowing where his magic came from, was an immense relief.

"Howl's source is darkness." Markl pointed out. "Does that mean… that we're enemies?"

Kenta smiled. "Magicians make enemies by using their abilities against one another. You and Howl have such a close bond I know you two will only help grow each other." He turned to Calcifer, his eyebrows creased upward. "You know, I've only known of three other magicians whose sources come from light and purity."

Calcifer's flames crackled atop the ash and molten wood. "Master Erikku is the only one I can think of."

"That's because the other two were in my apprenticeship with Howl. One of the wizards who attacked us in Ovela, Xarx - he's a magician of light."

Calcifer shook his head. "Look where that's gotten him."

Markl leaned in closer. "Who was the other?"

Kenta turned to the boy, his face dropping and growing colder. "Someone you would never guess. Suliman's son, Owen."

 **Hooray for Markl! He's found his source! Not only that, but now we know more about Owen and Xarx... no wonder why he didn't want to show his skills to Suliman. And then feeling second best to his own mother... I did make her a little heartless, didn't I? Oh well. What about Gwenda and Lona? What does the Royal Family want with them? We shall soon see :) Thanks again for your patience and I'll do my best to update more regularly this summer!**


	25. Our Demons from Before

**Happy Summer everyone living in the Northern Hemisphere! Everyone below in Oceania, have a good winter :) Finally the next chapter is here! Having multiple parts in a chapter is not as easy as I thought it would be. It's really difficult finding out where to end the scene and start the next with new characters. Maybe that's why people don't publish books like that too often... Anyway! I know you all have been waiting patiently for this so I won't ramble on. Enjoy!**

In the darkest hour of the night during the annual ball at the Royal Palace, heavy rainstorms tore through nearly every part of Ingary. The black sky was home to dusky, gloomy clouds booming with thunder and quick flashes of light slicing through the sky. Safety could only be found inside the Palace, but only for some.

The light from the crystal chandeliers in the ballroom distracted the guests from noticing the chaos outside. Most were seen dancing in pairs to the melody of the grand symphony. Others stood gawking at one another, complimenting the attire and appearance of their fellow aristocrats. Only a select few noticed the absence of their newest cohort.

"Justin, dear." A woman in a shimmering gold gown doted as she approached the Prince. Her hours of applying makeup hid her real age in an almost magical way. "I've just noticed your leading lady has yet to make an appearance."

Prince Justin, in his elegant yellow suit and typical flashy smile, held a glass of champagne to his lips. He took a calming sip before replying. "She had a previous engagement tonight. It was very urgent that she be there."

The lady pursed her lips and pouted. "Well, tell her she'll be missed. We just adore that little girl."

Just wrapped his arms around his back. "She will most definitely be missed."

The sound of thunder rang louder as the glass doors to the Palace Gardens sprang open. The room filled with gasps and then silence as a woman rushed into the crowd of dancers with a soaking wet dress weighing her down. Her hair moved side to side and the guests stepped back to avoid running their own attire.

"Justin!" She rushed into his arms and cried in his embrace, making it difficult to tell what had been drops of rain or tears.

The aristocratic woman smiled and clapped. "Oh, how romantic of you, Lettie! Leaving your other plans because you just had to see your beau. I love it!"

Lettie paid no mind to her. "Justin, I can't stay here."

He crinkled his eyebrows. "But you've just arrived."

Lettie removed herself from the embrace. Her makeup bled down her cheeks and blackened her deep blue eyes. "Yeah, and I would have been here a half hour ago if that terrifying witch girl with the crazy pigtails didn't try to kill me!"

Lettie had begun drawing the attention of the guests, their curiosity running amuck. Most didn't appear to understand what she meant by her words - given that Kingsbury was such a peaceful area to live in, her accusations seemed impossible.

Justin held her arm near her shoulder and directed her out of the ballroom. "Darling, why don't we get you out of those wet clothes, yes? Maybe a cup of hot tea will help your nerves."

Lettie persisted on her claims as they exited the ballroom. The hallways were dimly lit. "You need to press charges against her. I swear, Justin, Noe was out to kill me. She chased me through the gardens and I thought I was done for."

Justin continued leading her down the hall as she spoke. "I think Madame Suliman has something to do with this."

Justin casually dropped his footing. "Suliman?" Lettie nodded. "Why would she want to harm you?"

Lettie licked her lips. "I think it has something to do with my sister, Sophie. She was supposed to marry Owen but since that didn't happen, I think she's trying to hurt Sophie through me."

"What makes you think that?"

"She's been seeing someone lately." Lettie sighed. "A wizard, I think, because she's too scared for me to meet him. I think Suliman wants to get back at her in some way for never even wanting to marry her son."

Justin stepped in front of her. He held her shoulders with gentle hands. "Lettie, I think what you need is to relax. Let's get more comfortable, we can talk-"

Lettie pushed away from him with force. "I don't want to be comfortable, I want you to listen! Suliman's little witch freak just tried to kill me and you want me to calm down? I want you to take this seriously."

"I am, sweetheart. I am." Justin held his arms out and pulled her closer. Lettie sighed in his embrace. Her heart was still racing from the adrenaline. She could feel each beat pulsing through her veins.

And then nothing. No pulse, no heartbeat, no life. Pain emanated from a spot on her upper back and coursed through her entirely. She tried inhaling, but her breath stopped midway and pinched at the source of pain. The air she desired was right in front of her, yet she couldn't grasp it. A liquid trickled down her back, mixing with the rain.

Justin laid her in his arms in a way where she could see him perfectly. He pulled the sharp knife from her back and she jolted from the sudden change. Her body shivered - she was going to die.

"Justin." Lettie coughed out, but her plea would get her nowhere. He wanted her to die; he sent the witch to kill her and when she didn't, he chose to finish the job. It wasn't Suliman - it was her love.

Justin sighed through an eerie smile. "I'm so sorry, darling. You're not the Hatter sister I'm in love with."

Lettie's lips trembled. "B-but-"

"I gave you everything you wanted," Justin said, caressing her cheek, "but unfortunately, you couldn't give me everything I wanted. And what I want is to be with Sophie forever."

Tears fell down her cheek and he wiped them away in a loving expression. She wanted to push away from him, but her strength had been taken away - and soon her life would vanish as well.

"Sh, don't cry, love." Justin whispered. His lips were close to hers, almost in a taunting way. But he refused to kiss her. "I know this is hard for you to understand, but I'll let you in on a little secret." He leaned close to her ear, coiling her blonde wet curls behind her ear. She could not stop shaking in fear of the man she once loved.

His lips grazed the edge of her ear. "Everyone in your life, everyone you ever loved, will pay the same price until Sophie is mine forever."

Lettie bit her lip, clenched her teeth, used every ounce of movement she could before she felt numb. Her limbs were limp; her eyes grew heavy; her breath was cut short. She dropped her head in one motion, never to awaken.

A purple gust of clouds blew in a swirling motion near them. Justin looked up and saw Lettie standing up, clean and perfect and beautiful as she used to be. She wore the same dress, though she was not stained by the rain or the blood that still bled from her. The Lettie before him waved her hand in their direction, the Lettie in Justin's arms vanishing from sight as well as the blood that tainted his pristine suit.

He stood up. "Well then, love. I guess we better make plans to see your sister one last time."

Lettie curved her smile. "If Sophie can't possibly see what I see in you, then I have no other choice but to tell her about us myself."

"And if she still refuses to marry me?"

Lettie took two steps forward and rested her hand on Justin's cheek. "Trust in me, Justin. I have something against her beloved Howl that not even she can dismiss."

(—)

It seemed fitting to Howl to see a starless sky with heavy clouds circling the Palace. Night had come and gone and returned by the time they even approached the gates. With the Witch's old age and Suliman's guards posted at nearly every corner, it was a miracle they hadn't been caught yet. Howl knew a few spells of disguise and distraction, however Suliman was surely prepared herself for those. The second they were in her city, no one was safe.

The Witch licked her cracked lips. "I can't wait to get in there and teach that Suliman a lesson or two."

Howl gawked in his aristocratic disguise. "That's why we're here? We're not ready to approach Suliman, not with only two of us."

The Witch cackled and held the skirt of her distorted gown. "Is that why we're in these cheesy disguises? You always knew how to make yourself look more beautiful than you are."

Howl rolled his eyes. Sometimes he wondered why he let Sophie take her in the first place, but save for a few of her snide comments she was at the very least bearable.

He just didn't want her to make matters worse for them.

The Witch hobbled like a penguin over to the gate and addressed their presence to the guards. Howl held his breath as the gates opened, surprised by the amount of obedience from the guards. It seemed odd that they would allow residents, even those who appeared to be the wealthiest of them, to enter the Palace at a time like this. It wasn't ideal to have guests in the Palace during a time of war, especially with the amount of secrets lurking inside.

They approached the extensive staircase, an instant reminder to the Witch of the last time she walked up those stairs to the Palace. She had worked so hard to earn the title of one of the most feared witches in Ingary. While she had gone to some extreme lengths to become so fearsome, she never cared about the results of her actions until Suliman took everything away. Then she realized what it truly felt to be powerless against someone who held an infinite amount of strength.

The Witch huffed as they climbed the stairs, but she did not falter. She would not fail this time.

The foreman closed in on the Witch and Howl when they entered the Palace, his plastic smile giving no impression that he saw through them. "Who may I address you as to the Royal Family?"

Howl curved his smile. "Old friends." The foreman dropped his smile. He opened his mouth, but Howl zipped it shut and revealed their identities. The guards posted at the entranced responded quickly, but Howl grabbed the Witch's arm and rushed her down the main hallway. He ran at top speed past confused guards with the Witch struggling to keep his grip. Howl turned to the right, but the Witch would not let him.

Howl came to a sudden halt when he noticed the Witch was no longer with him. He watched her hobble down the other side of the hallway, alone and vulnerable.

"Where are you going?" Howl shouted as he rushed in her direction. He could vaguely hear cackling laughter coming from her as she opened a door and closed it behind her. When Howl reached it, the Witch locked herself in and kept Howl outside with the guards drawing nearer to him.

(—)

As much as Sophie desired sleep, her worries would not let her rest. Right as she would close her eyes, horrible things entered her mind and forced her back awake. This happened at least five times before she gave up and joined Martha and Heen.

Both were seated comfortably in the small living room, Heen silently asleep on Martha's lap. At least someone could rest, Sophie thought. Martha brushed her fingers gently across his blonde back, careful not to wake him.

"You're so good with him." Martha jolted when Sophie spoke. Sophie thought she saw the hairs on her neck point out. She sat next to her, grasping the arm of the couch with force to ease the drop. Every day she felt heavier and heavier - and every day she grew closer to the due date.

Sophie cleared her throat. "I couldn't sleep."

"Probably no help from me." Martha whispered. Sophie didn't look at her. Martha didn't mind. "I wish you had never asked."

"But I needed to know." Sophie said. Martha rested her hand on Heen, her mind floating away from where they were. Sophie couldn't imagine the things she knew, the things she'd seen. She could only watch her baby sister sit through the painful visions every day.

Sophie reached for Martha's hand, but her sister retracted and pulled it closer to her chest. Her visage was blank. "I've seen dozens of visions. Most of them are fine and have nothing to do with me or even this time period." She tightened her fingers into fists. "Lettie's was the first vision I saw with someone I knew. Ever since then, it's been one after the other - you and Howl, Suliman and her wretched followers" - Martha sucked in a quick breath - "and Justin."

Sophie bit her lip. "I begged you to tell me. Now I know how much of a monster Justin really has become. I wanted to believe he had a good heart and was blinded by whatever Suliman was offering him, but this was his doing. Whether Suliman coerced him to do so or not, he feels no shame for the hurt he has caused our family."

Martha raised her chin, but kept her eyes forward. "You know, mother still doesn't know about Lettie."

"When was the last time you saw her?" Sophie asked. Martha shrugged. Knowing her sister, it was probably the day she sent her away to school.

Sophie dropped her gaze. "She doesn't know about the baby."

Martha chuckled. "Yes she does."

Sophie jolted her head. "What?"

Martha kept her eyes on Heen. "She lives in Kingsbury. Her new husband - or well, I guess they've been married for a while now, huh? Anyway, she's in with all the rich folks there and Suliman loves ruining our family."

"Suliman told her?"

"Through the grapevine." Martha said. She crossed her arms and laid them over Heen. "Suliman won't tell anyone that Lettie is dead because of her but she's so quick to announce your pregnancy to the world. She wanted to sham our family and by labeling you as an unwed pregnant woman, mother was completely embarrassed."

"How do you know?" Martha eyed her with a crooked smile, as if the answer was so obvious. And it was - Sophie just couldn't accustom herself to her sister's magic. She knew so much that no one else could, things she didn't need to be there for to know. Her mind was so complex with the ability to see into other's lives before their own experience. It felt almost like cheating to Sophie.

Martha sucked in a heavy breath. "Will you ever forgive me for this ability?"

Sophie raised her eyebrows. Her sister leaned in, as if begging for something Sophie didn't know she needed - or even deserved. Forgiveness for something natural, something completely out of her control. Martha always needed to heal relationships. She was a people pleaser; and when people weren't happy, she blamed herself.

Sophie shrugged. "What's there to forgive?"

"I know you, Sophie." Martha said. "Being the eldest has never been easy for you. You thought you would be cursed forever if you sought your fortune but look what happened instead. You basically broke tradition."

"What does that have to do you with your abilities?"

Martha exhaled slowly. "With you being the eldest, you dealt with a lot of our childish banter. I know there was a part of you that resented Lettie and me. We were given so much as kids and you always took responsibility. Lettie and I were able to get out of the house so early and do things we wanted to do. You were forced to uphold the family business. You were even going to marry Suliman's son because of mother. I never would have agreed to that."

Sophie adjusted her seating. She squirmed at the remembrance of Owen. His overbearing confidence and lack of respect for others and his narcissism - he was worst than Howl when it came to how much he pampered his looks. Even though she never wanted to marry him, she never wanted the engagement to end the way it did.

Sophie shook her head. "I was more so stuck than being responsible."

"There was a part of you that felt like you had to, though." Martha said. "For our family or whatever mother convinced you it was for, you thought it was your duty. I know it; I've seen it in you before."

"I was the eldest." Sophie choked on her words. "I am the eldest. It was my job then and it's my job now to protect you and take responsibility. I've already failed Lettie, so please don't let me fail you, too."

Martha turned toward Sophie and held her hands. "You didn't fail Lettie. I did. This is what I meant. This ability is not a gift, no matter how many times Mrs. Fairfax says it is. It has only hurt everyone I care about."

Sophie's eyes glistened. "Martha, how can you blame yourself for something you cannot control?"

"Because I saw it!" Martha jumped off of the couch, Heen jostled by the sudden change. He sniffed around and followed a smell into the kitchen. Martha stood with shaky arms and legs. "I saw Justin stab Lettie and Suliman take her place. I saw your wedding to Justin and the pain you felt standing up there with him. I saw Suliman's army moving into Ovela when you were living there. I've seen every plan Suliman has to defeat you and I cannot reveal a single one. If that's not betrayal I don't know what is."

Sophie lowered her gaze to her belly. She remembered so often the times she lectured Martha and Lettie when they fooled around and made childish decisions. She remembered them accusing her of acting like their mother and being unfair. She remembered sacrificing so much to keep them happy and free from worry.

How could she blame Martha for doing the same thing?

"Martha." Sophie whispered. She could hear her sister trembling with fear. "I don't forgive you because there is nothing to forgive. This is who you are. You are learning what it means to be responsible and to make your own judgment calls. These are the things you deal with when you start becoming an adult and maturing. You have done nothing wrong; you decided what was best for you and for those around you."

Martha's lips quivered as she knelt down and cried in Sophie's lap. She held her tightly, trying hard not to imagine what life would be like without Sophie always knowing the right things to say. It was hard to imagine what life would have been like without two big sisters there to guide her.

Sophie ran her hand up and down Martha's back, letting her release all that she carried. Every vision, every time she saw something and its effects on others, added more weight to her shoulders that she shouldn't have been responsible for. These demons from before weighed down and consumed every bit of her. She needed to know she didn't have to do it alone.

Heen scratched at the front door, sensing an oddly familiar smell. Sophie and Martha paid no mind to the dog's wheezes until they heard the door open. Both girls stood up and stared at the old woman in the doorway. Her clothes were ragged and torn and she appeared very faint.

Martha stared in awe. It was Mrs. Fairfax.

 **And there it is... Lettie's death. It was pretty hard writing and even worse when I was editing that part. I know some of you were wondering how she died and I figured it was important for you all (and Sophie) to know how it happened. I'd love to hear your reactions, if you were angry or sad or whatever you were feeling. Comments are always welcome. Anyway, I hope with that answered question you're now thinking about what the Witch is up to and where Mrs. Fairfax has been all this time! I just finished Jones' novel of Howl's Moving Castle (Probably should have read it a long time ago before writing my fanfictions) and I'm really starting to understand the other characters more. Also, that sisterly moment between them was kind of about me and brother. He's always telling me to stop acting like the mom but I can't help it and I'm always trying to protect him and tell him what to do. I can't help it and you older siblings might understand as well :P Hopefully the next one won't take too long, but until then go outside and enjoy the weather! :)**


	26. Mirage

**Finally back! I know this one took a while (as do most of them) but I PROMISE the next one will up within the next 24 hours! If it's not, I give you all the right to call me out on it. After the end of this chapter, though, you're really gonna want to read the next! I was super excited to write this one and I hope you guys are excited to read it. I know it's been a while and this isn't a very long chapter, but I'm gonna do better. I've made a plan for the rest of the summer and hopefully I can have the entire fanfiction done before I leave for school (which is August 19). I'm gonna write like I haven't written before! And now I should stop rambling on. Here you go!**

The clouds rumbled through the sky, pale flashes brightening their heavy blackness. From the Wastes, Markl could see a clear division of where the storms consumed the daylight and where the afternoon sun was in full force. They were there between the two sides of nature - but not for long.

"We can make it to the Palace by dusk if we hurry." Kenta said, gathering his thoughts in a coherent manner. "No doubt Howl went there to see if Suliman had gotten to Sophie and Martha. And if all else fails, odds are Noe has Gwenda imprisoned there somewhere to be close to Suliman."

Calcifer's flames leapt. "I'll make my way now. I can search the Palace and listen in. Maybe I'll overhear something about her."

Kenta nodded. With his limitations, Calcifer could only get so far. And while the Palace most certainly had an abundance of fireplaces for him to relocate, chances were Gwenda would not be granted such a privilege.

"Be careful, Calcifer." Markl spoke low, nearly in a whisper.

"Will you be okay on your own?" Kenta asked. The fire demon smiled with more confidence than he'd seen on anyone in a while.

"I'll be fine." All that remained after his last word was a line of smoke rising toward the sky and dispersing into the air. With the sound of thunder and time running out quickly, Kenta transformed into his gryphon and Markl climbed on, no questions asked.

(—)

She felt like she was living a nightmare walking through those familiar Palace halls. No, not walking - more like being forced through was the correct way to put it. If it were up to Gwenda, she would never have found herself in these halls ever again.

Gwenda huffed. "What makes us so special that the Royal Family wants to see us?"

The guards stayed silent, none even looking in her direction as she spoke. Their handcuffs rattled with every step, nothing short of what she was familiar with. Once only a face among the servants, now Gwenda had become enough of a threat to be summoned by the Royal Family and Madame Suliman. It almost seemed laughable.

Gwenda continue badgering them, hoping one of them would crack eventually, but they walked on like robotic soldiers. "It's not like you mean anything to them. You work for these horrendous people and they'll give you nothing in return."

"Gwenda." She turned to her sister, who raised a worried look in her direction. "Don't make them mad."

Gwenda rolled her eyes. "Whatever it is, being rude to their brainwashed lackeys isn't going to change anything."

Two guards stood next to a large set of doors and pulled the handles to allow them entrance. Gwenda continued fighting the cuffs and their secure grasp, though with every struggling move their hands gripped her arm a little tighter.

The Throne Room had not changed much since she abandoned her servitude. The maroon carpet spread throughout from wall to wall, covering the entirety of the room. The intricate designs in the dark wood posts and trimming, the white marble lined fireplace, and the same faces sitting atop high thrones - everything was exactly as she remembered.

King Rolland, for the first time possibly ever, sat properly with his hands folded over his lap and his legs sturdy on the floor. Gwenda either saw this as a mockery - he wouldn't show respect even for his most loyal subjects let alone a girl who repeatedly defied his court - or apprehension for the fact that with the amount of resources and allies they had, Rolland was still unable to take what he wanted.

Queen Johanna held no emotion. Her attire was proper and covered nearly every inch of her body. Her hair fell over her visage, hiding more than just her eyes. She was always so distant from anything related to Rolland's work. She hardly spoke to any of the officials and never with Suliman - who, surprising to Gwenda, had not had to audacity to make an appearance.

Then to the right - Justin. Prince and figure of hope to so many. His upright sitting position upon noticing her stole the breath away from her lungs. She walked into that room ready to face whatever they might throw at her. She repeated to herself over and over again that nothing would paralyze her anymore, that with everything she had been through - all the terror and torture and separation - nothing would cause her to fear.

And yet the sight of Justin was enough to suffocate her.

Justin leapt from his throne, his teeth shining brightly. "Ah, what a nice surprise. I'm sure you're just so overwhelmed with happiness that you're here." He winked. "And that I'm single again."

Her blood boiled. She glared at him with such a loathsome gaze Lona shook in fear of her sister more than the Royal Family. His casual attitude, the facade of a handsome, loving prince, the truth underneath the blood on his hands - how she ever felt love for this man was beyond her. His ability to twist her emotions and string her along was more deceiving and manipulative than any witchcraft she knew of. She didn't want to fear him; she didn't want to show him how he held that control over her.

But she also knew that she hated him more than she feared him.

If the chains weren't holding her back, she would have ripped his throat out. "You're a monster, Justin."

Justin chuckled, taking a few steps closer to her. He still held his adoring gaze, the lights glistening against his wide eyes. She recognized that look - and she wouldn't let herself fall for it this time.

Justin frowned when he noticed he couldn't coerce her. "That's your Royal Highness to you, you filthy mutt."

The guards holding them pushed both girls to the ground. Their knees slammed onto the rough carpet. "You will show respect to the Royal Family."

Gwenda blew away a few strands of hair, her anger intensified. She narrowed her eyes to Justin. "After everything you've done, you don't deserve my respect."

"Well then." King Rolland said, waiting for Justin to return to his seat before continuing. "We've been on this hunt for Howl Pendragon and Sophie Hatter for months now. And I recently was informed that this servant girl-" Rolland tapped his chin for a moment. "Uh…"

"Gwenda." Justin said. His hands gripped the edge of the arms of his throne while his eyes dared to look her directly in the eye. "Her name is Gwenda Maguire."

Rolland clapped. "Yes, right. You were an accomplice in their escape."

Gwenda tilted her chin upward. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Rolland chuckled, like what she had said was a cute attempt of bravery. "I'm sure you would. But you're not on trial, little lady."

Gwenda and Lona turned to each other - their eyes were wide with confusion. If they weren't being tried for treason, what were they there for?

Rolland's gaze was confident - enough to make him appear as if he'd won the war, taken Howl and Sophie, and controlled every magician in Ingary all at once. "You're our bait."

(—)

"Mrs. Fairfax!" Martha rushed into her arms, practically strangling the elderly woman. Mrs. Fairfax embraced her as best as she could, though her strength seemed faded.

"Oh, my dear Martha! Please tell me you haven't been waiting here all these years for me."

Martha released her grip. "No, but I always hoped you would come back." She turned to Sophie, who stood on wobbly legs a few paces behind them. "I found my sister, Sophie."

Sophie waved her fingers. She had never seen Mrs. Fairfax, but she appeared close to her presumptions. Silky grey hair, soft dimples, and wrinkles across her face. She seemed more spunky than Sophie envisioned.

"Oh, so nice to meet you dear." Mrs. Fairfax walked in and extended her arms toward Sophie. She wasn't prepared to hug a stranger, but it was too late to decline.

Martha pulled up a chair. "Why don't you have a seat? You look exhausted."

Mrs. Fairfax exhaled a deep sigh. "You would be right, honey. As if Suliman couldn't get enough of me."

Sophie sat at the head of the table next to her as Martha moved to the stove to heat up some tea. "You were just with Suliman?"

Mrs. Fairfax nodded dramatically. "For the last three years. I never should have sworn my duty to her. I wold have been able to train your baby sister more."

Martha turned with a smile. "Everything I know is because of you." Heen walked under the table, staying close to Sophie. He wheezed a couple times to get her attention, and then she used her toes to rub under his ear.

Mrs. Fairfax relaxed in her seat. Her breathing was calm, as if she'd spent the last few days without rest. From the look of her clothes, that may have been true.

Then her gaze shifted to Sophie. "So, word around Kingsbury is Suliman has been looking for you and that strapping young Howl."

Sophie sighed. If that was the word on the street, her mother was probably mortified at this point. "Unfortunately, you would be correct. Suliman just won't leave us alone."

"Well, I know that feeling. She'd been trying to find every angle to get me to work for her. All these years and she finally cracked me."

Martha floated three cups of hot tea to the table and sat down. "How did you get away from her?"

Mrs. Fairfax blew the steam away and took a cautious sip. "She's powerful, but I'm much more cunning." She laughed an elderly laugh - very high-pitched and at her own joke. "I just waited until she was distracted with something other than me. Sorry it had to be you, dear."

Sophie nodded, her gaze dropping. She never expected to be the center of attention for anyone - now she was wanted across Ingary.

Martha took careful sips, her eyes continually on Mrs. Fairfax. This was the woman who nearly raised her during a very absent time in her life. She was there to teach her more than magic. Martha probably admired her more than their mother.

Heen repeatedly wheezed, no matter Sophie's efforts to calm him down.

Mrs. Fairfax turned to Sophie's stomach. "Well, at least we have some hope for the future."

Sophie blushed. "It's still shocking to me that I'll be a mother."

Mrs. Fairfax waved her off. "All new mothers say that. Believe me, by the time I had my third I was still thinking there was a lot I didn't know."

That wasn't a relief to Sophie. To think that after having even more children she still wouldn't be ready - her nerves kicked in. Somehow, having the baby in her stomach and not seeing him or her just yet voided any thoughts of her being a mother and Howl a father.

And then another thought crept in; Sophie and Howl - parents.

Here she was. Only a couple weeks away from bringing life into the world, having life grow inside of her for the last eight months. No matter if Suliman was a result or not - this baby was entirely Sophie's and Howl's.

"May I touch your stomach?" Sophie looked up to Mrs. Fairfax, her eyes wide with excitement. She dropped to see her hand already settled on Sophie's knee. "It's been so long since I felt a baby kick."

Sophie shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

Martha stood up. "Not so fast, Suliman." Mrs. Fairfax was frozen in place. Heen backed away, his whimpers loud and prevalent. Sophie darted her eyes between the two of them. Martha, whose legs would give way by a single touch, and Mrs. Fairfax, an eerie smile Sophie had only just noticed seemed familiar.

Her features changed. Suliman's perfectly coiled hair, a slight decreased in weight, and a more sinister visage were the only real differences between who she was and who she pretended to be.

Martha obviously had some control over her. Suliman wouldn't waste a second to take control being in the same room as Sophie if something wasn't holding her back.

Martha inhaled shaky breaths. "Stay away from my sister."

Suliman kept her eyes on Sophie. She couldn't move anywhere else. "At last. We finally meet, Martha Hatter. Annabel told me impressive things about your training, though I'm surprised that if you saw through my guise why you would allow me into your home. I thought she taught you better than that."

"I had to be sure." She replied. "It wasn't obvious until you mentioned her children. I figured even you would have known that her third child was a miscarriage."

Suliman chuckled. "Must have slipped my mind. Sorry your beloved teacher couldn't make an appearance."

"I know what you did to her." Martha's voice was authoritative, strict even. Being face-to-face with Suliman brought a whole mixture of emotions to her. "It's what you did to all the magicians like me or Howl or Kenta. You brainwashed her and used her for warfare. It's sickening."

Suliman never moved her gaze away from Sophie and neither did she. Even still it felt like Suliman still had control.

"Annabel had her own specific purpose for me. Once she no longer filled those requirements, I let her go."

It was a prompt display of events. Martha's heartbreak; her loss of control over Suliman; and Sophie left completely vulnerable.

Suliman stood up and took two direct steps toward Sophie, who had now become the one frozen. "Now, it's time to take what should have been mine by now."

A purple cloud erupted at both of their feet, swallowing the two and vanishing them from sight. When the clouds dispersed, so had they.

The cottage was quiet. Not even Heen would leave the safety under the table to see what had happened. A crack of thunder sounded through the glass windows, though not enough to shake the nausea from Martha.

She fell to her knees. This, she had not seen. Why this? Why wouldn't her powers come through at this moment?

Even she knew the answer to that. What had started as a safe escape turned out to put Sophie right into Suliman's hands. Nothing could stop her from clouding her eyes with a flood of tears and the soft whimpers Heen finally made.

 **I'm a heartless writer, I just kill people left and right (even those who haven't made an actual appearance... sorry Mrs. Fairfax!). Now their in serious trouble (even though they already kinda were). Gwenda finally faced Justin... I know their relationship doesn't seem huge since she's an OC, but I'd like to hear your comments on them if you have any. I've gotten a few comments on this and my other site about people hating Justin and I love seeing you guys so passionate about it, it's literally so awesome. And now Sophie is in Suliman's hands... again. Poor Martha, after all she's done to try and help her. We shall see where they go from here... Until tomorrow! (I will do my very best! Please believe in me!)**

 **ALSO: Shoutout to my new guest reviewer who reviewed almost every chapter! You rock and I'm glad you like the story!**


	27. The Unlikeliest of Heroes

**I come bearing gifts! That would be the next chapter :) I told you all I would put this up in 24 hours and I have done so! To be honest, I was already writing this chapter during the previous one I uploaded, so most of it was already done ahead of time. I won't ramble on, that'll be at the end of this :)**

Markl had never ridden on a gryphon before. In fact, he wasn't sure if he'd ridden on any magical creature before. The only wizard he had contact with was Howl and he had never seen another wizard until Kenta.

The ride was frightfully entrancing. He felt lighter than air as they flew around and above the stormy clouds. A heavy storm was headed for the Palace; it almost appeared, at least to Markl, that the atmosphere knew what was to come.

Markl knew better than to speak to Kenta. In this form, speech was a restriction, as was the case mostly when Howl transformed. Only if his human head was visible could he verbally communicate.

Kenta's flying was swift. His expansive wings flapped in the sky and separated violent clouds into smaller ones. Markl's only experience in flying was during their time in Howl's castle in the sky, though it was much less terrifying in the house than on Kenta's back.

Th storm made daylight nearly nonexistent. It appeared to be nighttime during what Markl knew to be mid-afternoon. This storm was foul; he was nervous to see it play out.

But they needed this. They needed to go back. Everyone - Sophie, Howl, Gwenda, Martha - they were counting on their presence, their aid in this fight for freedom. Calcifer getting a head start was only the beginning of what Markl thought to be the most dangerous mission of their lives. He was beginning to understand the truth behind the royal city and its rulers, and nothing to his liking. All he knew - all he needed to know - was the pain they put upon his family.

With the revelation of his source, Markl felt more purposeful. He needed to prove his worth; he needed to prove it to Howl and Kenta. To Suliman.

To himself.

(—)

Howl had never been more infuriated. Well, while that may have been a stretch he was significantly infuriated with the Witch at that moment. Her selfish behavior may not have been completely forgotten.

"You crazy witch!" Howl banged on the door above the sound of an army of guards rushing through the halls. It took Howl a moment to remember her powers were gone, meaning the only defense she had was a locked door.

Howl rolled his eyes as he held his thumb and index finger together and pulled them away from him. He felt the lock move and release the door. In one motion, Howl kicked the door in rage. Whatever caused this woman to leave him for Suliman's guards, whatever plot was swarming her mind, he was fueled by anger to find out.

He was surprised to see why.

Howl dropped his face. "What are you doing with that?" The steps of the guards increased so Howl slammed the door with a spell and locked it immediately. He was more preoccupied with why the Witch was holding a golden orb of magic in her hands.

Her cackle sounded evil, as did the way she eyed the orb of magic in her frail little hands. The golden glow, the power that lay within such a fragile object - even she knew the consequences.

Howl stepped closer. "You don't know whose magic that is. You could vaporize it into nothing."

Her continuous laughter proved to Howl her level of insanity. She was playing on dangerous grounds. One mistake, one wrong move and whosever magic that belong to would no longer be able to return to that magician.

She was cruel, but this was unexpected.

The Witch turned to Howl, a proud smirk on her face. "I know what my magic looks like."

Howl shielded his eyes as she pressed the orb through her center, the glow encompassing her entire being. She closed her eyes as the magic reentered her system, familiarizing itself with its previous owner. Howl peered slightly and noticed her shape begin to alter.

Her back straightened and her height increased to that taller than his own. Her wrinkles faded into her skin, now showing the porcelain clarity she once wore. Her attire was as flamboyant as their previous disguises, but she was not hard to miss.

The Witch of the Wastes had returned in full force.

Howl was at a loss of words. He remembered her cruelties in the past and how her magic overtook her senses. It made him wonder how her actions would play out now that her magic had returned.

The Witch stared at him with the look of confidence that used to frighten him to the core. "I recall you saying once you wanted to return your friends' freedom." She gestured toward the rows and rows of golden orbs scattered in the room. "How about we start by giving them their magic back?"

(—)

Gwenda had never felt so powerless. The guards traded in their handcuffs for rope, tying their hands with more grip than the cuffs. King Rolland found it best to make them as immobile as possible - especially to extort them how he had planned.

Lona bit her lip, unfamiliar with the tightness around her wrists. Gwenda kicked the guard tying her hands, hardly getting a rise out of him. The guard looked to the Royal Family for direction, but Justin merely said to ignore her antics. However, Gwenda was not in the mood to let them continue so easily.

"Your Highness." The guard said. "She needs special treatment."

Rolland exhaled a heavy sigh. "Once you finish tying her hands, tie her feet together. Her sister, too."

Gwenda huffed, her dark gaze set directly on Justin. He was unfazed by her situation, proving to her once again how little he cared about her then and before. She had been in tight situations before and usually - though she wasn't proud of it - someone was there to help her through it. For once she wanted to be able to save herself. However, that didn't seem possible with the restrictions Rolland placed on them.

"Just like when we were kids, huh?" Lona said softly, her voice carrying only to Gwenda. "Always had to pick a fight then, too."

Gwenda turned to her. "Saved us from a lot of bullies at school, though."

Lona breathed a laugh. "Yeah, that's true." She waved her eyes across the room. Their only ally was each other. Everyone in the room would be able to stop them if they made any attempt to escape. Gwenda was better at making plans; she was more organized in her thoughts. She had to know what to do.

Lona leaned closer, hoping the guards wouldn't hear. "How are we getting out of here?"

Gwenda searched the room for an answer, but her efforts were futile. Even if they made it to the doors without the guards catching up, there would always be more on the other side. If they ran for the door to the gardens, Justin would be there to block their way. Without magic, they were essentially at the will of their indicters.

Gwenda dropped her gaze. "I have no clue."

She always felt helpless. Lately, it seemed that only a magician was capable of actually changing things. She was vulnerable against their magic and had hardly any defensive strategies. She hid behind the mastery work of her friends and waited for them to make a decision. She wanted to make the decisions; she wanted to make her own change.

Then she thought she was seeing things - things that couldn't possibly be true. But she recognized the fire demon behind those eyes the instant he appeared in the fireplace.

He noticed her immediately. After all the times she had been tied up or chained around him, he still seemed shocked at the scene. He held his breath at the sight, hardly believing that he had found her once more.

Gwenda didn't waste a moment. She didn't care that the guards were quick to noticed her runaway scheme; she didn't care about the consequences that may follow; she just needed him.

This was her change.

"Calcifer!" Gwenda shouted as she felt two large bodies grab her and thrust her to the ground just before the marble tiles around the fireplace. One guard held her arms down while the other pressed her head into the ground, her long braid curling toward the fire demon. She tilted up to Calcifer with a struggle, trying hard to ignore the devastated look on his face.

"My hair." She said. He didn't respond so she added volume. "My hair, Calcifer. Take my hair."

His eyes widened but he wasted no more time. His fiery arms reached forward and snipped off the long, golden braid Gwenda had adored for so long. He gobbled up the intrinsic locks, his eyes never parting from the glorious blue he saw in Gwenda's.

The guards lifted her from the ground, both unsure of how to deal with the fire demon in their presence. Gwenda felt their constraining grip loose, and as she turned back to Calcifer she saw why.

He was no longer the ordinary fire demon she knew.

Lona's screams were mute to the roaring transformation in Calcifer. He glowed a white light before multiplying in size. He grew out of the fireplace, and to Gwenda's surprise, stood on fiery legs.

She stood numb as Calcifer narrowed his eyes at the guards who limply held her. He pulled back a muscular arm of fire and thrust it down on the closest one. Gwenda jumped back for fear of getting hit in the crossfire.

She rushed back to her sister, though the other guards stood their ground next to her. Gwenda wrapped her tied hands over one of the guard's neck and pulled them both to the ground. The other tempted to remove her, but only increased the pressure to his cohort's neck.

"What is that?" Lona shouted to Gwenda. She stared back at him, watching how his flames glowed in perfect unity. He stood tall as opposed to the times she saw the minuscule demon trapped in the confines of concrete. He was strong; he was powerful; he was finally free.

Gwenda smiled. "He's the greatest magician I've ever known."

Calcifer scanned the room. Several frightened guards sprinted for the nearest exit. Gwenda was in the middle of a brawl with the guards near another girl - one whom he could only assume was her sister based on their physical similarities - and the Royal Family were by their thrones, Justin wearing his sly grin.

"Calcifer." He said casually. "So great to see you again." Calcifer seethed as he ran in Justin's direction, his anger fueled by all the devastations he had caused. Once seen as an optimistic gentlemen, Calcifer now wished to see him burn and suffer.

Justin, though without the use of magic, was quick on his feet and evaded the enlarged fire demon. His rage weakened his sense of strategy, giving Justin an advantage. He heard hefty laughter coming from King Rolland, but Calcifer was more focused on the Prince.

"You've hurt my family for the last time." Calcifer growled in a low voice. "I will not let you torment Gwenda any longer."

Justin chuckled. "That's so adorable. The greedy fire demon in love with the pathetic little misfit."

Two sets of doors slammed against the walls. From the center, Howl and the Witch of the Wastes - now back to her state before Suliman stripped her of magic. Their gaze fell directly to Calcifer, Howl amazed by the state he had transformed into. It was none like he had seen when he held his heart.

From the other door, Nade appeared and was equally as shocked as the rest by Calcifer. He turned to Howl with a prideful grin and jumped.

Howl rushed for Gwenda and Lona. "Watch out!" As Nade punched into the ground, the room's gravitational pull became unbalanced and tilted. Gwenda, still holding tight to the guard's neck and the other trying to break her loose, fell toward her sister and knocked her to the ground. They reached for anything for stability, but their fall continued until they hit the thrones. The Royal Family was spared by a bubble Nade had placed around them before the unbalance.

Calcifer was prepared to stop Gwenda's fall, though Nade's effects worked drastically on him. He fell back against the grand windows. The glass cracked and shattered, some of the sharp edges falling near the sisters. The thrones acted as a shield for the most part, though Gwenda's yelp didn't ease him.

"Gwenda!" Calcifer cried. Blood streamed in a thin line down her cheek from just below her eye. The effects could have been much worse - even still, he hurt her.

Howl and the Witch jumped toward the two, landing against the tilted thrones. Howl ripped a piece of his shirt and covered Gwenda's wound. The Witch released them from their restraints with a simple spell. Lona, however, was not keen on being in the Witch's presence.

The Witch recognized her fear. "I see you remember me. Don't worry, I'm not here to turn you into a dove again."

Howl widened his eyes. "Calcifer! The curtains!"

Calcifer turned to see that the curtains posted at the grand windows had erupted with flames and were falling to the ground. The fire spread to the carpeted floor, slowly reaching the ends of the room. With the power Calcifer gained, he could start a forest fire.

Lona screamed as the fire reached the thrones, the elegant wood easily catching fire and disintegrating into ash. Howl pulled her away from the flames and masked the smoke that arose. This fire, however, due to the increase in Calcifer's power, would not cease even to the strongest of spells. It wouldn't stop until the entire Palace had turned to smoke and ashes.

Calcifer took a step back, watching the disaster occur - a disaster he created. The look Gwenda held on her face one of terror. She was afraid - of him or his power or both, he couldn't decide. All he knew was that he was only destructive to her and everyone else.

"I can't…" He whispered. Howl turned to him, but if Calcifer could cry he could have enough tears to wash away the growing flames.

Gwenda watched Calcifer back away. He was leaving; she could sense his fear and shame, everything she tried not to put upon him. And once again, someone she loved was leaving her.

Calcifer's heart was weak and he couldn't handle who he had become. He turned to Howl. "Take care of her. Please."

Howl nodded. He wasn't going to make Calcifer's decision for him. Without delay, he ran away into the darkness and thunderstorms.

"Calcifer!" Gwenda rushed to where the hole in the windows was, watching Calcifer run out into the spread of trees in the pouring rain. He could die; this rain could very well kill him.

Her lips trembled as an overflow of tears merged with the falling rain. Her newly short hair waved in the rough wind and chills ran through her entire being. "Please, Calcifer. I can't lose you, too."

 **Calcifer got his legs! Sort of... and now he's run off practically to his death. And the Witch of the Wastes is back and Markl knows his source and the Palace is on fire... geez, so much craziness! I love it! I have to say, this has been one of the longest fanfics I've written and has taken the longest time to write. Also, this might be the last one I write for fanfiction altogether. I plan to work on my original story during the upcoming school year, so fanfiction might be put on hold once this story is complete. I haven't made any final decisions, but if this is my last I want to thank you all for reading and sticking with this for so long. This has probably been my favorite fanfic I've ever written. We still got a lot more chapters to go until the end but I will work on getting those up ASAP! Thanks again!**


	28. Brave Enough

**Hello world! Long time no see! What a surplus this week, huh? I never imagined getting so many chapters out at once. I'm nearly done with the next one, too, so expect that soon (Saturday the latest). I literally have so much free time at work I've finished three books and these last few chapters during my shift (who said people can't pay you to read and write?) It's awesome. Anyway, we got some intense stuff going on here so I'll leave you to it. Here you go!**

It took some time for Heen to approach Martha. He'd watched her from underneath the dining table, waiting for her to do something. Say anything. Part of the little dog hoped she would reassure him that everything would be all right.

The day had been overtaken by gloomy clouds and she still hadn't moved.

Heen slowly emerged from the darkness, nearly shocking Martha. For a moment she expected herself to be alone. She had forgotten all about the timid dog who had watched the same scene she couldn't prevent.

"Heen." She whispered. His whimpers hurt her chest. She emulated his pain exactly, feeling the same loss - feeling just as helpless.

Martha's eyes were reddened by the amount of tears that fell. Her nose was congested and when she breathed, the heavy amount of phlegm blocked her airways. She had stayed on the floor since Sophie was taken - continuously reminding herself how at fault she was.

She rubbed her nostrils. "I'm so sorry, Heen." The dog climbed into her lab and she welcomed him. His soft fur helped comfort her pain. "I tried to save her, I really did. I just needed to test her, to see if Mrs. Fairfax…"

Even saying her name put a strain on her. The wonderful, generous Mrs. Fairfax who came out of retirement simply to teach her - the only one who saw something in her, saw something really special.

Martha banged her head against the cabinets behind her. "You gave me everything and I failed you."

Heen looked up, but Martha simply stared at the entrance to Mrs. Fairfax's old room. Her mind replayed all the little moments they had together, things that normally wouldn't appear special but that she held very dear to her heart. She wasn't just her teacher - she was her mother.

Martha shook her head, a brief laugh escaping her lips. Heen tilted his head in confusing, though Martha was unfazed. "You were wrong, Justin. You're not killing everyone close to Lettie - you're killing everyone close to me."

Lettie, Mrs. Fairfax, and now Sophie - along with the many magicians she had befriended over the years - Martha was beginning to think this was all a plot against her. Maybe to get her to work for Suliman using the one gift she could never fully perform. Building relationships had now become a gamble with Martha because she didn't know how they would end. She couldn't lose anyone else to that wretched family.

If she could, Martha would give her own life to bring back those whom she had lost to Suliman.

Martha slammed her fist against the cabinet behind her. Heen nuzzled closer to her, hoping he could be of some help to her troubling mind. She could not feel any ease. "Why was I born with this curse?"

Martha noticed it in her childhood years before Mrs. Fairfax trained her - years before her father died. She saw when her sisters were planning tricks on her and knew how to evade them; she saw how girls at school treated her before they even met and knew who to avoid. But then there were visions she couldn't change.

Like her father.

She didn't know then how she saw it, but it became clearer through her training. She never told anyone, thinking it was just a really horrible dream. It never occurred to her that what she saw actually meant something.

Mrs. Fairfax knew about Seers. She had only trained one other decades before Martha, but the training remained very similar, she had said. The only rule she warned her of - never change what you see.

While evading mild pranks and rude classmates hardly changed her future, Martha began to realize why Mrs. Fairfax advised her of this rule. Had she done something to alter the events she witnessed, usually worse consequences would follow.

Mrs. Fairfax only talked about her previous student once. Martha wanted to meet him, see if she could take a few lessons from someone with her source. Mrs. Fairfax ended that idea when she told Martha about his untimely death trying to change a vision.

Never change, never tell. Martha started to believe this was a pointless source, that anyone given this sort of power was bound to share the same fate as her other student. She had already disobeyed her commands when Sophie, Howl, and everyone appeared in the castle. Visions were not as clear; they were becoming more related to herself, and she found herself wanting to alter them more and more with each one she saw.

Her eyes widened; her mind was a picture camera rolling film in color. And another vision occurred.

Another one she wanted to change.

She slammed her head against the cabinet again. Rain and fire, a devastating mix. A deadly outcome. "Be careful, Calcifer. Please find another way."

Every vision. Every single one had become a torturous sight she couldn't evade. She had worked day and night on controlling her source, perfecting the vision process and avoiding mistakes. In doing this, she had failed to train in what most magicians were skilled at - combat.

Martha was not in favor of warfare; neither were many magicians she had known, but that didn't stop them from reporting to Suliman to join her army, willingly or not. However, her lack of offense put her sister in the hands of the most dangerous sorceress of their time.

Magic was supposed to be used for good, for the betterment of others. It had evolved into a warfare tactic, whether magicians, good or bad, wanted to admit it or not. Magic had transformed from its true purpose into a selfish defense. Martha never wanted to use her powers for selfish reasons. But she had let Suliman take her pregnant sister because she wouldn't fight; she had let Suliman take Lettie's life because she couldn't change fate; she wouldn't let Suliman take anything else from her.

Martha knew Sophie's child was special. Her premonitions, if anything, were highly accurate save for a few recent ones. She had seen this child grow up and fall in love and practice magic. She had also seen this child make mistakes and trust the wrong people.

And worst of all, she had seen this child's birth.

(—)

Gwenda remembered vividly the day their mother left. She had just turned thirteen a couple months before. She remembered her parents fighting and her father begging her to stay. She could hear her mother say with a dead tone - _I don't love you anymore._

Her mother left. Then her father did. Lona eventually left as well. Even Lettie unwillingly left her.

And watching Calcifer leave was still the worst heartbreak she'd felt.

"Gwenda, we need to go." She felt her sister pulling her arm with no success of separating her from her trance. The line of fire in the evergreen forest stayed ablaze even with the heavy downpour, and Calcifer's fiery being grew smaller and smaller in the distance.

As Lona continued her failed attempts to move her sister, the Witch of the Wastes stepped in. Gwenda's arms flung to her side and she slid across the floor - not of her own control - back toward the group. Lona joined them as the Throne Room became consumed with flames.

"How did you find us here?" Gwenda asked as they ran through the halls. Guards ran passed them, no longer trying to imprison them but rather trying to save their own lives. The Royal Family had departed with Nade, leaving them to deal with the destruction.

Howl kept his eyes on the nearest exist. The only one he could think of was the way they came in. "We came to Kingsbury after my castle collapsed. Then we found the room where Suliman held the magicians' sources."

"Your castle collapsed?" Gwenda shouted through all the panic. Her mind floated to where everyone else was during this catastrophe. While she worried about being in prison, she didn't once think about her friends being in danger.

"Was Kenta with you?" Howl turned to the little blonde girl, her eyes wide with curiosity. It wasn't until he had a good look of her that he discovered her identity.

Howl let out a short laugh as they reached their exit. "Today is just full of surprises." They made their way to the long staircase and climbed down, rain hitting them almost as forceful as hail. He placed a barrier directly above them as a shield from the flood. "I'm sorry. We were separated when my castle was destroyed. I haven't seen him since."

He could see the pain in her visage, knowing he could be anywhere and possibly alone and in danger. While she mourned, Howl could only think of the relief Kenta would feel when they were finally reunited.

When they reached the end of the staircase, everyone took a moment to breathe. The flames hadn't reached outside the Palace yet, though it was only a matter of time before the entire structure collapsed.

Howl did not see Kingsbury falling this way - through the act of a fire demon.

He turned to Gwenda, noticing an absence. "What happened to your hair?"

She touched the ends that just barely brushed against her shoulders. She had grown her hair out all of her life, so the alteration was significant. "Calcifer used it to…"

Howl didn't need her to finish, nor did she want to. "He likes to do that sometimes."

"I had no idea how powerful he was." Gwenda looked to him, her eyes redden but wide with wonder.

Howl lifted his chest with a heavy inhale. "To be honest, he was never that powerful with my heart nor Sophie's hair."

Gwenda's teeth chattered as the winds picked up and the rain continued to fall around their barrier. Her mind only revolved around Calcifer. He had told her once that his strength came from other. When Howl and the Witch of the Wastes entered, Howl appeared as if he hardly recognized Calcifer.

Had she done that?

Howl tapped Lona's shoulder. "Like I said - today is full of surprises." She followed where his finger pointed into the pouring rain. While she had to squint, eventually she clearly saw the golden brown gryphon flying toward them.

Lona held her breath. She could hardly move. After years of following him, joining the other trapped humans by the Palace simply to get a glimpse of him, and spending every day trying to protect him - here he finally was.

Markl waved down to the group and floated down before Kenta landed. He ran into Gwenda's arms first, his wet clothes soaking onto her dry ones.

Lona ran toward the gryphon as he landed on the wet stone courtyard. The rain immediately drenched her head to toe as she only focused on him. She rested her hand over his massive beak and closed her eyes to shield the tears mixing with drops of rain. His beak shrunk into Kenta's face and the animalistic qualities were replaced by the dark-haired, scruffy wizard.

Neither wasted a moment. She was in his arms and he was kissing her before either had a chance to speak. In their minds, no one was there. They were together at last.

Gwenda covered Markl's eyes as Howl smirked at her. "What? No snarky comment?"

Gwenda turned to him as Markl struggled with her grip. Her eyes were deadpan. "You really think this is the time for that?"

Before Howl could retract, Markl released his grip and smiled directly at Howl. "Master Howl! I found my source!"

Howl's eyes gleamed. "Markl, that's amazing. How… what did you do?"

"Who would have thought," Kenta said, his arm wrapped around Lona's shoulders, "that Howl Pendragon's apprentice would be a creature of light?"

Howl tilted his head to Markl, the boy blushing slightly under Howl's diminutive dome. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "You will be a wonderful wizard. I just know it."

Markl smiled proudly. All he had ever hoped for was to be strong - that and impress Master Howl. Watching his abilities for years only increased his desire to be as skilled as Howl. Now, he finally had the abilities to prove his specialty.

The rainfall slowed, the drops sounding like trickles down a stream rather than a full-blown tsunami. The clouds still viciously rumbled in the sky, but for now they found some peace.

Markl turned to the Palace, tugging on Gwenda's arm. "We need to find Calcifer. He told us he was getting a head start to come help you guys."

Gwenda bit her lip and avoided the wandering gazes, most of them looking at her. Markl creased his eyebrows, unsure of why everyone had turned silent. Kenta turned to Howl, though his melancholic visage said enough.

The sky struck lightning to a roofed area on the side of the Palace and three shadows appeared. Kenta held Lona close to him, as did Gwenda for Markl. Through the rain and darkness, Howl could see a broomstick and long pigtails on either side of one figure.

"Where's the rest of your group?" Noe said as the trio emerged from the shadows. Nade and Xarx were forever in the background, the preppy witch always needing the spotlight. "I count five, but it also seems like you've added a member."

Howl looked around, only now realizing someone was missing. "Where's the Witch of the Wastes?"

"Did she follow us after the fire?" Gwenda asked.

Noe scoffed. "You mean the fire your boyfriend started? You'll pay for that, too."

Gwenda clenched her fists and took a step toward her, but Howl held her back. If they could avoid a fight, he would take that exit. "Sophie isn't with us. I know you're looking for her. You have nothing to gain from this."

Noe crossed her arms with the two wizards a few steps behind her. "Any fight with you is a good one, Howl. But that's really cute. You still think your baby mommy is with her weakling of a sister."

Howl tightened his jaw. He no longer restrained Gwenda, either.

Noe chuckled. "Madame Suliman took care of her - this is just for fun."

Howl created fire through his fingertips as the thunder intensified. "You disgusting witch!"

(—)

Sophie shot her eyes wide open to the sound of a raging thunderstorm. An unfamiliar pain sprouted from her midsection - from the baby. It was not like when the baby would kick; that never caused her this much distress. She felt as though someone was stabbing her with a dozen needles, pushing them in and pulling them out in a rapid motion. Her mind had been a blank and she couldn't recall how she ended up there.

A man in a white coat inserted a clear tube into her arm, though she was unable to resist. Her wrists were strapped to the side of the bed she lay on, in a room that was beginning to feel familiar. The arch of the window, the circular layout, and Madame Suliman standing there as well.

"Her vitals are stable." The doctor said. "I believe the labor should begin within the hour."

"Labor?" Sophie breathed heavily. The pain sharpened and she clenched her jaw. She held the chains that bound her, nearly cracking her nails from the force. As she failed to withhold her torturous cries, the storm outside strengthened with her pain.

"Exhale quickly. You're having a contraction." The doctor showed her how to breathe and she followed. Not because she wanted to, but because it was the only thing she could do.

"Remember this place, dear Sophie?" Madame Suliman said. Sophie continued breathing, though her heart raced from the panic she felt of being trapped by Suliman once again. "It's where you created this child in the first place. Now I'm ready to collect."

 **Suliman at it again! I'm sure by now so many people hate her, and at least point there's no turning back for her. Poor Martha again. I feel like I keep saying that, but she's really been hit hard. And Gwenda. Gah! We are right in the thick of this mess, but I assure you we will get to a resolution! Somehow, some way :) Thanks for reading and I'll get that next one up ASAP!**

 **Random Fact: Actually I wanted to put this earlier but forgot... sorry! Master Erikku - I've mentioned him a couple times since Thorns - is also a name I used from my previous fanfiction. In my Spirited Away sequel Open Your Eyes, I gave Yubaba and Zeniba a brother named Erikku. Using his character was an attempt to connect these worlds together.**


	29. Final Life

**Promise kept! I said the next chapter would be up by Saturday and I got it by Friday! So much conflict and so little time! It's hard to believe I'll be writing chapter 30 soon. I wasn't expecting this story to be this intense but somehow it got to this point of life and death for everyone. No one is safe anymore (or were they ever?). I hope you guys are prepared for the bombshell this chapter will be...**  
It was a night he had seen for centuries, but never thought would come to pass for him. He was a free star, the galaxy his only limitation. He always flew with his fellow brothers and sisters through the blackness of space granting wishes and fulfilling dreams - nothing could stop them.

Nothing except the Night of Falling Stars.

A thousands years after his emergence in the black sky came his departure from it. It was the night when he and the other ancient stars fell and hurtled toward the Earth. But Calcifer wasn't ready; he wasn't prepared to die.

As he plummeted from the sky, he whispered the one wish he had kept all these years.

I wish to live again.

The fallen stars departed like comets soaring through space. He could feel his speed increasing, his brilliant being moving faster and faster - death so close he didn't have a moment to reflect on anything worthy he had done in his thousand years.

One memory had floated into his mind, however. It was a memory fairly recent - a wish. He had granted so many wishes in the past, it seemed odd that this one stood out.

It was a little girl. He heard her cry out from her window, tears sprinkling her cheeks. He could vaguely see her face, broken and with little faith left inside her frailty. This wish was her last resort.

Calcifer cried as he fell, remembering her wish and wanting nothing more than to grant it. _I wish for true love or no love at all. I wish not to end up like my parents._

He didn't know how it would come true, but somehow he made sure it would.

The night lit up with explosions, brief sparks of starlight contacting the earth. The marsh in the Wastes - if there was a way to die, this was the most painless. The water of the lake quickened the process. Calcifer felt slightly more at ease.

Then he appeared. Seemingly out of nowhere, a young boy walked amongst the massacre, his eyes glowing with wonder. His hair was long and dark, matching the color of the night sky. He was only a child.

Yet Calcifer didn't waste a moment.

"No!" A fellow star shouted. "He's mine!"

"No! I want to live!"

"Pick me!"

Calcifer sped past all of them, his aim directly for the boy. The boy noticed the star's fast approach and stood under him, his palms facing upward to catch him. His hands were soft, reminding Calcifer of an innocence he had long forgotten. If he wasn't so focused on his life, he may have reconsidered involving a child in the curse he was asking for.

"Please." The star begged. "I can't die yet; I just can't."

The boy tilted his head. "I'll make a deal with you." Calcifer widened his eyes. The boy was now asking him for something. "I'll save your life if you take my heart."

"Wha-" Calcifer was expecting his eyes, his hair, something less extreme. Taking his heart would not just keep him alive.

He'd be bound to him until this boy's death.

"I can drop you." The boy separated his hands an inch, frightening Calcifer of what lay below.

"Okay, okay." The star said. "Just don't drop me."

The boy nodded. He lifted the fallen star into his mouth and Calcifer willingly went. He kept repeating to himself that it was worth it; that anything was better than death.

He hoped, at least.

When he reached the heart, Calcifer consumed his entire being around it. He pushed himself and the heart out through the boy's chest, resting in the same soft hands as before.

Though innocence was not the word he would have chosen now.

"My name is Howl." The boy said.

Calcifer glowed not with his brilliant starlight, but with a raging fire. "I'm Calcifer. Thank you for sparing my life."

(—)

He couldn't stop running. The thick forest was an endless labyrinth where he could flee and never be found. He was embarrassed; he felt guilty. The only thing that felt right was to leave it all behind.

Even her.

Especially her. When he saw the glass shard strike her face, he was instantly guilt-ridden. He was a terror to them all. It was selfish for him to stay as long as he had. The thought of being a lonely star among the thousands and never having real relationships - he needed people.

The raindrops sizzled when they dropped on him, though he ran despite the immense affliction. The thick evergreens caught fire as he passed through and the blazing fire spread far out into the forest, despite the heavy rainfall. Let it burn, he thought. If his last action destroyed Suliman's precious city, then let it all burn.

Calcifer finally stopped running. A tall concrete wall ended his escape, leaving him in the thunderous downpour in a burning forest. The only thing he could do was wait for the rain to ultimately end him.

He wondered how he was able to wield so much power. He had never held that strength before - never as a star, nor with Howl's or Sophie's aid. With Gwenda's hair, her strands of gold so beautifully woven together, he felt real. He had become a walking fire demon, something demons like himself could only dream of.

Calcifer changed his shape. He shrunk from the terrifying fire beast to that of a person, a real human made of flames. Because of Gwenda, he could form into a human with fiery hands and feet.

He finally felt human for a moment.

"Well, well." Calcifer heard from behind him. "Aren't we a little spooked by this sudden change?"

Calcifer turned to see a woman he hadn't seen in years. The young and powerful, the heartless soul feared by so many - the Witch of the Wastes.

"That makes two of us." He replied. "Looks like you got what you wanted."

The Witch raised her arms, eyeing her magnificent attire. She concealed herself from the pouring rain, letting it fall around her instead. "Yes, it seems that I did get what I wanted. And now I'm asking you the same."

"The same what?"

"What do you want?"

Calcifer bobbed his fiery head back. "What do I want?" The Witch nodded, though the fire demon merely rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Who cares about what I want? It's always about the people who matter - the real people in this world. I'm not real."

The Witch took a step closer, feeling Calcifer's intense heat even more. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Calcifer. You have more heart than Howl, Sophie, and Markl put together."

Calcifer could hardly feel the pain from the rain anymore; at least the Witch was a nice distraction from what was to come. "If only that were true."

The Witch straightened her back. "What do you want, Calcifer?" He shook his head. Nothing he would ever be granted - nothing he ever deserved.

She pressed him further. "What do you want?"

"No…"

"Calcifer, what do _you_ want?"

"I want to be human!" He shouted as the thunder roared with his enraged voice. "I want to do something other than move castles or heat baths or live in a fire pit. That's not living; it's barely surviving."

Calcifer brushed his hand against the wall behind him. An almost real hand. The concrete wouldn't burn, but he felt the roughness of it. For a moment, he thought he shivered from the feeling.

The Witch stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. "I want to hold people; I want to do this-" gesturing to his human embodiment "-walk away from the constraints of a fireplace and actually live. I want to enjoy life."

The Witch noticed his flames turn blue and decrease, though he was prepared to explain himself knowing very well it would be the last thing he ever did. "A fire demon doesn't have a life; a fire demon's purpose is to serve others and make life comfortable for them. My life has been an endless servitude."

The Witch observed him carefully. Even when she was stripped of her magic and had become a frail old woman, she was still highly observant of everyone's actions and reactions. Lately, since their move to Ovela, she started paying more attention to Calcifer. His attitude had begun to change recently and she started to pick up on subtle hints. When everyone lit up as Sophie's baby would kick in her stomach, Calcifer never smiled. When anyone would complain about their work - whether it was Markl's newspaper job, Howl's farmwork, or Sophie's housekeeping - Calcifer never shared any words of sympathy. She knew for sure how Calcifer felt when Gwenda was taken. His words rang in her mind on an endless loop.

 _I hate being a fire demon._

"What makes you deserving of a third life?" The Witch said. "You've already lived your thousand years as a star and then nearly two decades as a demon. Why do you deserve to be human?"

Calcifer felt weak from the continuous downpour, so he sat with his back against the wall. He pulled up his knees, rested his elbows on them, and covered his face with his blue hands - things he never expected to do.

"I don't." He said, his voice muffled. "I was selfish for asking Howl to keep me alive in the first place. I was selfish for involving Sophie to break our curse." He could hardly say the last part. "And I was selfish for telling Gwenda about my feelings for her, probably confusing her and ruining our friendship for good."

There was no winning in a situation like this. He tried forgetting about her when they moved to Ovela. He thought the distance would make it easier to push his irrational feelings behind him. Yet not a day went by where she hadn't crossed his mind. When she and Kenta reunited with the group, his feelings for her only grew stronger. With every passing night, every intimate conversation, Calcifer had already fallen completely in love with her.

It was agonizing - talking to her and never being able to confess what he felt inside. It was a million times worse seeing the look on her face after he did.

Calcifer took in a heavy breath. "None of them deserved anything I did to them."

The Witch approached him and sat across from him. Her talents did not include perceiving into the mind, though it was fairly obvious what the demon was thinking about. "Do you really love her?"

Calcifer slowly raised his head, his body feeling weak. He had never seen the Witch of the Wastes so compassionate toward anyone. "Of course I love her. She's the only one who makes me feel like I have a purpose in this world. I knew there was something that day we met, something about her that was different from other people I knew. She was strong, but she didn't believe in the strength inside of her. She wasn't afraid to fight back or speak her mind."

The Witch nodded. "And?"

Calcifer's eyes drifted from her gaze, his mind replaying every significant moment they had together. "I was mesmerized when I saw her. I didn't realize someone could be so beautiful that just looking at her made me want to give my life for her."

He closed his eyes, Gwenda the only one in sight. He envisioned her smile, the way it shone from her contentment. Her hair waved in the breeze and flowed into her face. He saw her tell him the three words he was so afraid to tell her before.

When he opened his eyes, she was gone. She no longer had her long hair - he took that away. She no longer smiled around him. She would never say those words to him.

"But I can't live like this anymore." He said. "I'd probably be saving her if I just didn't exist. If I can't be human, I'd rather be dead."

The Witch curved her lips up slightly. "This coming from the star who would take the heart of a child in order to live again."

Calcifer sighed. "I'm not who I was in the past. I've learned from my mistakes and would take them back if I could."

She reached for him and held his hands, but he drew them back thinking he'd burn her. She gestured for his hands and he looked.

They weren't burning.

Calcifer raised them in front of his face, turning them as far as he could to be sure he wasn't seeing things. They were a fair color - a human color. A real, human hand.

Calcifer caught his breath. "How did you… what did-"

"You and I both know that girl whom you adore is powerful, even if she believes herself to be weak because she doesn't have magic in her." The Witch helped Calcifer stand, though his legs wobbled from this recent evolution. "She doesn't need magic to have strength - she didn't need it to change you."

Calcifer couldn't stop using his hands. He touched the rough wall, the spikes of grass and pines on the trees. He felt the coolness of the rain and the heat from the forest fire that still surrounded them. He held the Witch's hands. For the first time, he could touch someone without the fear of hurting them.

"She needs you more than you think she does." The Witch said. "It's not your time yet, Calcifer. Don't waste your final life."

 **I feel like it's gonna be 50/50 of people who like this and people who hate it. How many of you are happy that Calcifer finally got what he had been waiting for and how many of you wish he was still the sarcastic fire demon we know and love? I won't be hurt (maybe only a little) by your responses. We are closing in to the ending...only 10 more chapters to go. Thanks for sticking with this as long as you have and I'll keep trying to pull through with these quick updates. Until next time!**


	30. Creatures of Truth

**Hello again! Been a little while, huh? After a week of chapter after chapter this was probably a bit of a shocker. It took me forever to write this one because (spoiler alert) battle scenes are not the easiest to write. But I finally got through it and did my best! I'll keep working at them and trying to upload at decent times, but hopefully once or twice a week for now is a good system. Better than once or twice a month (nervously laughs but cries inside knowing how horrible that was). All right, I'll leave you to it. Here you go!**

The Palace halls were anything but silent. Normally this was a place of calmness and order - now chaos was all that remained.

The Witch strolled passed frightened guards and servants, all departing from the destructive fire that ensued. Walls had blackened and ash filled the air, making it hard for her to breath. She couldn't help the smirk on her face, assuming the amount of distress Suliman was under knowing her precious royal home was disintegrating into ash - Suliman's downfall was the Witch's triumph.

The flames had spread quickly. She had hoped there would be more time to complete her next task, but time was a limited treasure. There was much to be done, lives at stake if she wasn't smart or quick to making decisions. Then again, her best work was always done under pressure.

It was simple returning her own magic to herself - she felt the personal connection. Now, she needed to restore the magic of all those imprisoned by Suliman.

She remembered the room where she and Howl had found them. The lined shelves of golden orbs filled with a magic source only deserving to their owners. It was also the very room Suliman had used to strip their magic away in the first place - how symbolic, she thought. Suliman had a knack for that.

The Witch locked herself in the room and added a spell for further protection. While the majority were preoccupied with the ongoing catastrophe, she still refused to let her guard down. She gleamed at the power that was held captive in the room. It was tempting, to say the least, how much she desired to give in to her old ways. Pull a Suliman, she thought, and keep them under her own control. The old Witch of the Wastes wouldn't have thought about it a second longer before acting on her greedy deeds.

Then Sophie happened.

The sweetest girl she never thought she'd ever truly befriend, Sophie had the ability to transform her from her old ways. It was a gift of hers, not only seen through the Witch's changed persona. It worked on Howl - maybe she did have some magic in her.

It never crossed her mind before - the joy of being good. Seeing the turmoil of others brought her a brief euphoria, but she desired that feeling again and again. Being old gave her the time to reflect on herself, and there was much she had become ashamed of. Especially with her magic restored, she had the opportunity to prove her change of heart. She was making right on her past.

While she in no way forced her fellow magicians to obey Suliman, she was responsible for what followed after. What made her actions worse was that she didn't care; whatever happened to the humans, whatever Suliman had planned for them, she was completely indifferent.

Sophie changed all of that.

She had become bored of turning people into doves; it had become a redundant task with no real reward. She wanted to test her abilities, see if Suliman would praise her for a merciless act, even if it wasn't specific to her schemes. Needless to say, her efforts failed. The Witch knew Suliman was crueler than she - but that didn't stop her from trying to be more wicked. It only fueled her drive to be more feared than the Royal Sorceress.

That drive still existed, but now for a different cause. She wanted to be better than Suliman. A better witch, a better spell caster - a better person.

She sat in the middle of the room, the orbs sitting on glass shelves all around. Most spots were missing - possibly for the warfront. Returning the remaining magic was one thing - returning their sense of mind was a whole other obstacle.

(—)

Howl thrusted the ball of flames toward Noe, igniting the battle's commencement. Noe swept off into the air on her broomstick high above those on the ground to avoid Howl's attack. Howl lifted up to catch her, but was quickly forced downward by an electrical rope. He landed hard on the stone courtyard, a large dent underneath him.

Nade stood above him with a sly smirk. "Sucks to be on bottom, doesn't it?"

Howl grunted from the pain. "You would know." Howl and Nade grabbed the other by the shoulder, restraining the other from attack. Their arms moved in slow motion due to their equal strength. Howl darkened his eyes until they matched the color of the thundering clouds. He wasn't afraid to show Nade his terror.

Xarx rushed for Kenta, impulsive behavior one thing Kenta could always count on with him. Kenta vanished into the ground and appeared behind the novice wizard, creating a whirlwind around him to hold him steady. In all honesty, Kenta was disappointed in him out of those from their apprenticeship. It was understandable why Nade and Noe would join Suliman. Xarx, on the other hand, was everything she despised.

Gwenda made sure Markl and Lona were safe from the main battle ground - Markl because of his age and Lona because she may not have experienced a magicians' war like this before. While Kenta and Xarx appeared in a brawl and Nade was distracted by Howl's horrific darkness, Noe swooped down from the sky toward Gwenda. She and Markl stood tall and prepared to retaliate. Their breaths were even with one another, and though both felt weaker compared to their allies, neither once thought about backing down.

Rather than stopping at them, however, Noe flew directly toward Lona.

"No!" Gwenda reached back with one hand and caught her two thick pigtails in one grip. Noe jerked her head back and the broomstick continued forward. Before it could topple over Lona, Markl waved his hand and it disintegrated into falling stars.

"My broomstick!" Noe shouted. She shrieked as Gwenda yanked harder as Markl locked her hands to the ground. Gwenda enjoyed hearing her desperate cries.

"Maybe next time, get a haircut." She said. "Might save you from a lot of trouble in the future."

Xarx calmed the storm Kenta had created and immediately turned to the offense. He threw a lightning strike to Kenta's back, catching him off guard and knocking him to the ground. As Xarx tried taking advantage of his downfall, Kenta froze the nearby raindrops into piercing icicles, aiming them for the wizard. The frozen daggers secured Xarx to the ground, pinning him to the rugged stone.

Kenta landed atop him, holding Xarx by his thick, greasy hair. "Haven't you had enough?"

Xarx shook his head. "Of course not. I'm not as weak as you all think I am."

Kenta narrowed his eyes. "I said you were weak because you gave in to Suliman. You, out of everyone, were the last person I thought I'd see working for her."

"What's sad is you still think I'm on their side."

Kenta felt his strength wearing out, but was swift to regain control. He tightened his grip on Xarx. "I don't believe you."

Xarx let out of a brief laugh. "How could you not? I'm a creature of light, remember? Suliman never wanted someone like me in her apprenticeship. She didn't even want her own son."

Kenta held his grip, wanting so badly to believe him. It made sense that he wasn't loyal to Suliman. Xarx's source made him an immediate enemy to her. Truthfully, Kenta just wanted to believe there was someone would could outsmart that woman.

He huffed and melted the ice prison that bound him. Kenta held his guard as Xarx stood up, a number of disabling spells running through his mind as a backup. "If you're really on our side, prove it."

Xarx straightened his vest, a curved smile in place of his usual timid visage. "I never said I was on your side. I believe I said I wasn't on theirs." In a quick second, Xarx thrusted his arms forward, bolts of lighting releasing through his fingertips in a bright act of passion. The bolts were aimed directly for Nade, shocking his core before his next attack on Howl. The wizard seized for a moment before falling on the ground unconscious.

The exterior of the Palace was still, save for the crackling flames and thunderous rain. Howl breathed heavily, filling his lungs completely. He was appalled by what he had witnessed. Gwenda, Lona, and Markl stared at the changed wizard standing in camaraderie next to Kenta.

"Xarx!" Noe broke from Gwenda's hold on her, though her target had altered. She took large strides in his direction. "What the hell are you doing?"

Xarx winked at her. "Not even going to apologize." He moved his hands around in a circular motion as an oval of light grew in strength and size. Noe lunged for him, but Xarx's action was already in pursuit of her.

Everyone stared shellshocked at the state of Noe - the fact that one attack had brought her down was impressive, but also that it was Xarx who had summoned the power to do so.

The rainstorm did nothing to calm their nerves. The chilling drops caused a few to shiver, though Howl seemed unfazed. He and Xarx locked eyes, trying to read the other's thoughts. Howl hadn't believe he was a changed wizard until Kenta assured him.

"He's a light source."

Lon stepped in Kenta's direction. "What does that mean?"

"It means he's been playing Suliman." Howl said, his tone blank. "And us, for that matter."

"Geez, so dramatic. Some things haven't changed." Howl growled and Xarx rolled his eyes. "Like you were the most trusting guy in the apprenticeship. You would have done anything in order to become Suliman's successor."

Howl turned to Kenta. "How did you know about him?"

"I saw him practicing in secret during the apprenticeship." Kenta replied.

"I begged him not to tell anyone." Xarx said. "For obvious reasons. Madame Suliman never would have accepted me if she had known."

Gwenda scoffed. "The all-knowing Royal Sorceress hasn't figured out your secret? I don't buy it."

Xarx bowed his head. "One of my specialities. My source can be mistaken for others, such as electrokinesis or pyromancy. By using spells in those areas, Suliman was thrown off track."

Lona shivered from the rain and Kenta created a protective barrier around her. "I do have one concern." He said. "If you're not on their side but you're not on ours either-"

"When was the last time you heard of a light source actively partaking in any public affair?" Xarx said. "When was the last time you even heard of a light source?"

Markl took a step forward, but Howl raised his hand at him. Hearing what Xarx had to say highly peaked the boy's interest. When Kenta spoke of the rarity of light, Markl thought he would never meet a magician like himself. If there was anything Xarx could teach him, Markl would surely listen and learn.

Xarx nodded to the silent group. "Exactly. We find it best to work alone, keep to the shadows. The evil hate us for our purity, and the good don't share the same intentions as most of us do. No one else understands this ability."

A booming crash sounded from behind. They turned around to see the current status of the once luxurious Kingsbury Palace. Half of the building was falling, the tall towers plummeting into smoke and ash.

Gwenda stared, mouth agape. "There are still people inside."

Howl narrowed his eyes. "Hopefully just Suliman and the cursed Royal Family."

"No." Lona said nearly in a whisper. "All the others she held captive, all the innocent lives she locked away are still there."

If only they had fought back, Gwenda thought. George and Somer, Beth and Mari - Gwenda just couldn't leave them behind. She knew the feeling all too well.

"I'm going back." Gwenda didn't waste another moment before sprinting toward the Palace entrance. Lona rushed after, though the sisters' pursuit ended shortly.

Lona shrieked as the unconscious wizard hastily stood up and locked his arm around Gwenda's neck. Gwenda gasped from the lack of oxygen, her heart beating as fast as the droplets fell from the sky.

"Gwenda!" Lona shouted. Kenta rushed to her side, the others quickly following. Howl wanted to hit Nade with the worst dark curse he could summon - but with Gwenda in his clutches, Nade held all the cards.

His eyes were wide with lunacy. Xarx's shock had blackened both of his eyes and they twitched erratically. His arm pressed closer against Gwenda's throat, making her struggle that much more harrowing to watch.

His gaze fell to Xarx. "Well, then. Looks like I've underestimated you Xarx. Light." He spat next to Gwenda, her face cringing at the sound. "That just suits you perfectly, doesn't it?"

Xarx hardly made a move. The slightest change could be devastating for Gwenda. "You did more than simply underestimate me. You belittled me in every single way you could."

Nade tapped his tongue to the roof of his mouth, letting out a high-pitched laugh. "Only to toughen you up. Though it looks like you learned that all on your own."

Howl took a step forward. "Let her go."

Nade pursed his lips. "I think not. She's way to pretty to give up that easily. And besides, I'm sure Madame Suliman would just love having more leverage over you."

Gwenda clenched her teeth. She kept her eyes focused on the falling rain, her mind attempting to retract any snide comments for fear of Nade's reaction. She wasn't always quick to holding her tongue, but in a situation with a madman, Gwenda wasn't taking any chances.

"Nade." Xarx's tone was low and authoritative. "Let her go."

Nade tightened his grip, though his frightening eyes shot clear to Xarx. "Madame Suliman gave you everything and this is how you repay her? She turned you from one of her weakest students to being on top with masters like me and Noe. You should have ran off from her apprenticeship the moment you found out you were a creature of light because there is no way in hell Suliman will ever accept you."

Xarx bowed his head. Howl and Kenta stood ready for attack if need be. Lona and Gwenda breathed in unison, however feeling miles away from one other. Nothing could be said; nothing needed to be for the sisters to understand how the other felt at that moment. With every breath, with every clink of rain filling the silence, they all waited for a reply, a movement - anything to distract from the tension rising from the uncertainty.

Xarx leveled his eyes to Nade. "I never needed her to." His eyes glowed like blades on a sword as lightning struck from the sky. Nade jumped backward, though a thin line crossed his right cheek from the attack. Gwenda was pushed forward and she stumbled to the ground, gasping for a full breath. Lona and Markl rushed to her side, helping her stand as the wizards all moved in for their enemy.

Nade was surrounded by the three, Kenta and Howl to his sides. Xarx stood merely a few feet away from him. They decreased their distance from him, making short and careful steps toward the deranged wizard. Nade seethed through his teeth and flung himself into the air, his hands pressed together in a large fist. The three watched as he hurled himself to the ground, his fist slamming into the stone and causing an earth shatter.

As Kenta lunged on the ground to fill the cracks, Nade molded his hands and feet into the ground, his body falling in like quicksand. "Nice try. I won't make this easy for you."

Howl formed wings out of his arms and flew toward Nade, only for the wizard to make himself into a two-dimensional figure and slide past him. He opened one of the cracks below deep enough for Howl to fall and then pushed the ground together, the core slowly trying to refill itself. There was no denying the wealth of knowledge he had through Suliman's training. Nade was quick on his feet when it came to the methods of battle and was noted for his ability in tricking his opponents. But Xarx was there during every moment of it - he knew Nade's weaknesses.

Xarx absorbed power from the ongoing flames and the bursts of light from the thundering clouds. He made casual steps toward Nade, as if the battle was already decided. "I'm surprised you haven't figured out Madame Suliman's real plan for why she brainwashed our fellow magicians. After all, I thought you were practically one of her top students."

Nade smirked. He pursued Xarx as well. "You don't know anything about the Madame. How dare you speak of her in such a vile tongue."

A white light outlined Xarx's figure as they were nearly inches away. "She's a crook and liar. I cringe at how you and Noe haven't figured that out yet. She's only using you for her own personal gain."

They paused their steps, now close enough to feel the exhaled breath of the other. Nade raised an eyebrow with a low smirk. "You're just as foolish as you were the day I met you."

Xarx narrowed his eyes. "As are you." The two drew back fists and propelled them forward, an explosion of light knocking each other in opposite directions. Xarx balanced his landing near the sisters and Markl, Nade falling back on the steps of the Palace. The fire hadn't reached that far, but Nade wasn't taking any chances.

He sprinted toward Xarx at top speed, his rage quickening his pace and losing sight of his surroundings and strategies. Nade roared as he neared his target with full force and a prepared ending for his former cohort. Xarx mirrored his action, preparing for the same.

As the two were close enough to touch, a dark figure appeared from between the two, seemingly growing from the ground up with outstretched arms. They acted as barriers against the wizards' attacks, and both were sent back to the ground.

The witch let her long hair cover her face, her gaze directed to the ground where she had come from. Her arms moved like the wind as she focused her energy on Nade, the spell she repeated flowing off her tongue as if she had been there from the beginning and seen the melee played out.

Nade hardly had a moment to think about his next move before she casted her curse. His mind fell numb to her abilities and he fell unconscious. His body morphed and twisted, the witch's shaking arm a clear sign of the power she wielded. At the last word she spoke, Nade bursted into what appeared like stardust, falling and glowing on the explosive ground.

Xarx didn't waste a moment. He crumbled the rock that restrained Kenta and released Howl from his tightening prison. Kenta acted fast in sealing their platform, keeping them safely grounded.

The witch sighed to where Nade used to stand. "That's for my sister."

The sky thundered as the commotion on the ground ceased. Howl was eager to reach their savior, though quite taken by her revelation. "Martha?"

She lifted her chin, revealing her tearstained eyes. "I couldn't protect her, Howl. I couldn't save her."

Howl rested his hands on her shoulders, the words he wished to speak to her refusing to be spoken. All the hate he felt, the anger at her betrayal - he knew where her intentions were. She already appeared to be paying a worse price than the one he might have given her.

The little white and tan dog wheezed from inside her cloak, rubbing his snout out of the fold and breathing in the earthy scent. Heen jumped out from her constraints, rushing toward Gwenda and Markl the moment he noticed them. Kenta stood next to Howl, wanting to hear what Martha had to say as much as his counterpart.

Howl bit his tongue. "Martha, what happened?"

Martha cringed her face, teeth chattering and eyes swollen. "Suliman came to our hiding place and took her. I couldn't attack her; I couldn't use my magic to harm another person." Her breaths were shaky as she tried to conceal the oncoming tears, though not even the rain could fool those around her. "I was too weak to do anything."

Howl dropped his arms. "Where is she now?"

Martha turned to the burning Palace, the bursting flames glistening in her eyes. Her visions were, if anything, accurate. She had seen this child's birth; she knew Suliman's plan. The pieces fit together in a catastrophically perfect way.

Howl turned back, watching the same sight and begging that it wasn't true.

"She's in the Palace. I know it." Martha whispered. "You have to go right now, Howl."

His legs were cemented to the ground. Of all the places, of all the difficulties and trials they had had, this was the epitome of their misfortunes. Violent, ruthless, deceptive - all things that could name the Royal Sorceress and all things evil in the world starting with her. Howl could hardly breathe, let alone think about where to begin trying to find his beloved Sophie and bring her to safety. No doubt Suliman was attempting to reach their child.

Howl turned to the flames, only to find a swarm floating above in a horrifically familiar way.

Screeches and cries floated down to the courtyard as dozens upon dozens of magicians in their natural state joined the feeble group on the ground floor. They were separated; half standing by Howl and his comrades, the other half standing by the fallen Noe and trying to revitalize her. Two familiar magicians - Damascus with the good, Exie with the evil - stood face to face with anger aimed at the other.

What Howl was more impressed with, however, was how all the magicians were of free mind.

Exie sneered at the wizard. "Madame Suliman is our leader. We will protect the Royal Family until our death."

Damascus stood tall before her. "Then we will fight to keep our freedom."

And the wage of war began for the two sides of magic.

 **Nade is gone! Noe is still there, but Xarx finally got revenge on him. And the Witch completed her goal, as we can see with this ending of the magicians all out of their trance and now deciding where their loyalties lie. Even Gwenda got a little revenge on Noe. I liked that bit, it was a little payback for the kidnapping I thought. I'm sorry we didn't get to see Sophie, I got a few comments from people wanting her to come in but I promise she's in the next one for a bit! With these action scenes, it's hard to put her in because there is so much going on elsewhere. Thanks for reading and I'd love to hear what you think!**

 **RANDOM FACT: Originally, this battle scene was going to have Xarx attack Nade and they both disappear, leaving it up in the air as to what became of them. Then I thought of all the progress Xarx made and figured he was better off continuing in the story.**


	31. The Arena

**...Hehe... So it's been a little while and I believe I have some explaining to do. It's been a really long time since I updated and that's because I was on vacation with my family and I didn't bring my laptop. I wanted to, but we were so busy running around that I wouldn't have had any chance to write anything (I even brought a notebook just in case and still didn't write a single word). But now I'm back home and I finished the next chapter! It's a bit short and I feel really bad for making you all wait and to give you only this much, but I go back to school tomorrow which means I'll get back to writing on a schedule! Summer is weird because I don't plan any time to write, I just do it when I feel like it. Enough about me, though, we got a lot going on after last chapter! Here you go!**

It was like trying to push out needles from inside. The pain forced her to expel something that wasn't ready to enter this world, something she wasn't ready to experience. The baby jumped in her stomach as if excited for what was to come, though Sophie was ashamed to bring this little child into such a cruel world.

"You're about four centimeters, don't try pushing just yet." The doctor said. Half of his face hid behind a mask, but Sophie could see the indifferent person through his blank eyes. "How does the pain feel? On a scale of one to ten?"

"Screw you!" Sophie shouted from the bed and attempted to kick him, though her feet were restricted. He shuddered at the movement, but after one glance to Madame Suliman he returned to his charts and writing things down. "How could you let her do this to me?"

Suliman rested a hand on his shoulder. Once again, he shuddered. "Because he works for me."

Sophie clenched her teeth. Another contraction. She tightened her fists and pulled on the chains, once again pushing as if to release her child from the womb. She wasn't ready; not right now, not in a few days, not ever. She wasn't ready to be a mother.

And with Suliman standing over her, she might never be. "Why Suliman? Haven't you already won?"

Suliman stood behind the doctor, her arms crossed over her chest. Her twisted smile grew as if she had already taken the last thing Sophie had left. "Not until I have that child. Then, I'll have won."

(—)

The war struck like a stream of fireworks. Spells were thrown in all directions, some not even with an end target but merely for the sake of casting a spell. Magicians flew about to find an advantage over their enemies, some even using brute force. No one was out of reach from an attack.

Martha led Gwenda, Lona, and Markl under a protective barrier toward the roofed walkway and away from battle. Markl clutched onto Heen for dear life, hoping the wheezing dog wasn't as frightened by the unexpected war as he was. In a matter of seconds, they went from two sides separated by views to a full-blown onslaught.

Markl would be lying if he said he wasn't terrified - but he wasn't going to abandon Howl this time.

Markl set Heen on the ground and charged forward, only to be brought back by a swift force. Martha held his shoulders, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What on earth are you doing?"

Markl turned to the battle, watching his time slip away. "I can help. Master Howl needs me."

Martha shook her head. "You're too young."

"But I can do this."

Martha knelt by his side, her barrier still in place. "Markl, these magicians are fighting to the death. Many of the witches and wizards you see out there won't survive this."

Martha felt a wizard slam against her barrier, a fallen soldier thrown by his enemy. A few already lay on the ground, some with a companion attempting to revive them. It was as she saw; it was meant to be.

All except for Howl.

"Howl!" Martha shouted. He was in brawl with another wizard, both using their transformative states to increase their power. He was out of earshot. "Howl, this is not your fight!"

He needed to find Sophie. He wasn't supposed to be there. This eas not what she saw. If Howl perished in this, Martha was certain of the implications that might follow.

On the battleground, Kenta faced an old comrade - Redford. Their sources were the same, though their experience and wealth of knowledge was vastly different. Redford used the rainstorm to his advantage, creating a tsunami in the air aimed for Kenta. The swirling water bolted toward him, though the magician waved his arms in a circular motion, a wind tunnel growing from it. The two elements clashed - an equal match.

"Where's that famous earthquake of yours, huh?" Redford said. "Haven't seen you use that since we knocked you out cold back in Ovela."

Kenta growled and sparked a flame through his fingertips, lighting the ground around Redford in a bright ring. In an effort to stay ahead, Kenta increased its power and the fire pursued the center target. Redford was prompt in his defense as the opposing wizard pushed his arms forward and the ring of fire blew out in Kenta's direction.

Before Kenta could react, the explosion was taken over and aimed back at Redford. Xarx stood between the two, repeating a spell like he'd used it a million times before. The flames engulfed Redford in a fiery disaster, the wizard unable to form a defense in time.

The rain drenched the area and the flames turned to smoke and ash. Had their not been a raging war currently in attendance, Kenta would have contemplated the morality of killing a fellow wizard, even one with the intention to kill him. Xarx stared blankly at the charred wizard, smoke rising from his lifeless body. He wore not a shred of guilt.

"I thought you light creatures didn't work with other magicians." Kenta said.

Two magicians were in pursuit, but Xarx struck a continuous lightning streak around them to keep their attacks stable. He turned to Kenta, his voice raising over the volume of the war. "I will aid you in defeating Madame Suliman. You all have gotten closer to tearing down her reign than I had in her service. I would like nothing more than to help you finish her off."

Lona watched the nearly catastrophic ending involving Kenta from their safety. After all the time separated from one another, now they were finally together again only for her to worry about losing him yet again. Had it not been for the wizard who saved his life, that might have been reality. She held Gwenda's hand, increasing pressure until her sister yelped with pain.

"Sorry." Lona said. "I jut can't understand why this is happening."

Gwenda stared at the massacre laid out before them. "Neither can I." She scanned the battleground, trying to decipher the number of allies left compared to their enemies. The numbers appeared even, though the amount of bodies lying on the ground was enough for her to gag from the sight. She held back bile and turned away, hoping the sight would leave her mind.

She knew very well something like this never would.

Heen wheezed and scratched against Martha's barrier, his head nodding to the main entrance of the Palace. In the distance, Gwenda noticed small figures running down the large staircase as the fire had finally reached it. She squinted, though that seemed to only make her sight worse. With the blink of an eye, the figures flashed out of sight and then appeared behind Martha's barrier.

Gwenda, Markl, and Martha prepared for defense, but the cries and warm hugs coming from Beth and Mari halted their hasty reaction. All their fellow prisoners had rejoined them.

Even the Witch of the Wastes.

Gwenda dropped her jaw. "Wha-"

The Witch smirked. "Surprised to see me again?"

"Where did you go?" Gwenda asked. "To save them?"

The Witch turned to the burning Palace. "You'll find out soon enough."

Mari rushed to the protective barrier, pounding on it hard with her fist. "Aria! Nathan! Get out of there!"

She continued pounding, much to Gwenda's confusion. She tuned to Beth, whose visage didn't brighten her spirits. "Her sister and brother-in-law are out there. They've been under Suliman's control this whole time."

Gwenda widened her eyes. "Is that why she worked at the Palace?" Beth nodded. Mari rarely talked about her family life, but since Gwenda didn't either she hardly thought much of it. She never would have guessed her sister was a magician trapped in Suliman's schemes.

The Witch of the Wastes narrowed her eyes to the battle ensuing. Explosions of passion and ability bursted from every magician on the scene and it was clear that all were willing to sacrifice their own lives for the sake of a higher cause. She couldn't just walk away - not anymore.

The Witch lifted her chin. "It's time to set a few things right with those whose lives I've ruined."

Gwenda turned to her only to find the Witch vanish a second later and reappear on the battlefield, fighting alongside Howl and Kenta. She approached the barrier, Heen following right behind her. Every second not being there ached her broken heart. They were strong; they weren't afraid of the outcome or what might become of them. They weren't even afraid to die.

Doing nothing only caused her more grief. She felt useless to them; all this time knowing each other and she had yet to provide any suitable aid. She had gotten kidnapped on their behalf - and while that spared Sophie and Martha from the same fate, her unfortunate situation only caused an unnecessary detour on their mission. The grief she felt was nothing compared to the agony she witnessed before her.

What else did she have to lose?

"We can't stay here any longer." Martha said, her focus on the main group of released prisoners. "This isn't our fight."

"Why isn't it?" All eyes turned to Gwenda and the shaking dog behind her legs. Her back was to the barrier, to the ongoing bloodshed of magicians with good intentions and evil ones. The wound under her eye had since clotted and only dried blood remained on her cheek. She held her visage cold, keen on challenging Martha's defeat.

Martha took a step toward her, her mouth open in awe. "Gwenda, you and everyone else are not magicians. They'll destroy you out there."

"And what about you?" Gwenda said, her hand gesturing toward her. "You keep saying Suliman will get what's coming. This is what we've wanted for so long - to finally stand up to that woman."

"I have seen the outcome of this match. Trust me, you want to stay out it." Martha's voice was low and harsh. While she tried keeping her words out of earshot from the others, they were too close to stay in the dark.

"Will Kenta be safe?"

Martha turned to Lona. Her eyes were already glistening with tears, her shoulders shaking in a frightful state. Lona held her hands together against her chest, so many questions rushing through her head but unsure of how to ask. The extent of Martha's abilities were unknown to her, as were a lot of things she had been sheltered from in her captive time. However, Martha was not prepared to release any more information than she already had.

Lona swallowed hard. "You said you know what happens, how is that possible?"

Martha turned back to Gwenda. Her control over the situation had weakened, as had the barrier she placed around them. "Gwenda, you need to get your sister and the others out of here. Now!"

Lona reached for Martha's arm, though the witch was quick to retract from the foreign touch. "Not until you tell me if Kenta will live or not."

Martha seethed. "Gwenda!"

"Kenta!" Gwenda and Martha watched as Lona broke through Martha's deteriorating barrier and into the battlefield. The pouring rain, the blood and bodies, and the deadly atmosphere encompassed her and she was frozen in place as she watched the love of her life struggle in battle against a terrifying opponent. Both rushed for Lona from their safety, though the fragile girl soon found herself trapped by a horrific creature.

The wizard sneered at Lona, her timid body backing away slowly. His horns were black against the harsh rain, as was his sinister smile. He walked on hooves and his body was hairy, like a werewolf. What struck Lona the most, however, was the large expanse of his wings. Had they not been so plagued with darkness she might have thought him to be wearing angel's wings. He eyed her like she was a delectable meal.

"Lona!" Kenta swooped down from his attacker and landed atop the beast before her. He wrapped his arms around his neck, catching the overzealous wizard by surprise. His claws scratched at Kenta and he thrashed his body around. Lona took two steps toward him and clutched to his muscular arm, the difference in size between the two very significant. The beast narrowed his eyes to her, now giving Lona his full attention. As his claw sliced her face, she fell from his arm to the stone ground.

Kenta released his grip around him and fell close to Lona. He touched her cheek, watching the blood spill in three straight lines down her pristine face. Her eyes were hardly opened, though still held the same fiery glow. "Kenta."

"You need to get out of here." Kenta turned to the beast behind them, noticing Howl had appeared from behind. He formed a dark hole below the beast's feet, turning his attention to Howl instead. The Witch of the Wastes slid past him and extended her robe to cover the couple from his view, at the same time casting a spell to weaken the beast's power. Kenta held Lona's arm and helped her stand, leading her to Martha and Gwenda on the outskirts of the battlefield.

"Get out now!" Kenta shouted to them. Without a second glance he fell to the ground, his hands and feet fitting into the grooves of the stone and settling in. Lona tried running back to him, but when the ground started to shake, she fell back toward Gwenda. All the magicians and humans on the ground felt the earth rumble. Between the individual battles and the thunderous sky and the surrounding death, Kenta's earthquake was of a greater fear. The stone crumbled into separate rocks and the cracks filled with a volatile red. Some magicians fled from the shaky ground into the sky, but the humans were cemented to the ground.

Howl managed to distract the beast long enough to have the advantage and use a dark spell to blind him momentarily. While the beast stomped around in darkness, Howl approached the humans.

"Howl, we want to help you." Gwenda said.

Howl shook his head. "Save yourself." Before she could respond, he was already in the thick of the battleground once more. Death increased with each passing second and neither side was willing to surrender. Gwenda wanted to stay; she wanted to fight and show them the risk she was willing to take for them. If people were going to die, she didn't want to be a bystander.

The Witch of the Wastes was of no consolation, either. "Leave before they find you." As if they wouldn't hear another word of Gwenda's pleas, Martha stood before their group and snapped her fingers and they were miles away from the war torn city.

 **Again, I'm terrible at fighting scenes so hopefully I didn't butcher this one, especially with so many sides to it. People had been asking Sophie to come back and I know she was only there for a short time, but man has Suliman got her in a tight spot. Sophie was already nervous about being a mother, now she's not sure if she'll get that chance. And Martha is furious at Howl for disobeying what he's supposed to do and Lona just wants Kenta back and Markl wants to be a big wizard and Gwenda feels useless and argh! I don't know how I put everything in. Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna forget putting Heen in these chapters (almost did a couple times in this one... yikes!). I'll work extra hard to get the next one up soon but I do have one last thing to say...**

 **Happy Anniversary _A Heart in Flames_! August 18 was the day I put up the first chapter and it's coming to it's one year anniversary! I honestly thought I'd be finished by now, but life gets in the way, you know? I'm so excited and sad to be at this place with my story and my readers. You guys make this worth so much more than I ever thought it could, so thank you for your support and dedication. I hope I don't disappoint with my ending. Until next time, fanfiction! **


	32. Surrender to Hope

**Hello readers and writers alike! I'm finally settled in school and was able to finish this chapter today. This semester is going to be hard. I have to read at least a book a week in one of my classes (just one) and the others have a lot of reading and writing, too. I guess this is what I signed up for when I became an English major :D Anyway, I said this at the end of my last chapter and I'll say it again now... Happy Anniversary A Heart in Flames! A year ago from August 18 was the day I published the first chapter of this fanfic and looks how far it's gone. I'm torn because I love this story where I want to finish but I'll be sad when there's nothing left to write. It's coming so soon, too. I apologize for my late updates (again) and that might be a recurrent theme as the semester goes by. But I will keep going, that is for sure. All right, I'll shut up now. Here you go!**

Fire. Rain. Chaos. As he fled through the disarray of fallen trees in the forest, these were his witnesses. These had become his obstacles. For the first time since his years in the sky, he wasn't hiding behind comfort; he wasn't trapped in a concrete stronghold. Now when he ran, he ran toward the things that frightened him.

A hefty branch fell directly in his path. Calcifer shielded his face from the explosive flames that burst from the dead evergreen. The action seemed instinctual - warding off a possible threat. Fire used to be his cohort. It was what fueled his life. Now, it was something that could destroy him.

He widened his eyes at the catastrophe before him. Orange glowed from high up in the trees, sending burnt leaves to their resting place below and branches crashing to the ground like waves against a wall of rocks. He reached his hand toward the burning branch, the extreme heat bursting with life before him. It called to him; it begged for him. As much as he sensed fear creep into his mind, the urge to unite with his other half was a stronger feeling.

The rain tapped him like an edged sword on his body. His red hair, dampened, felt refreshed by the cooling water. Water had always been the enemy; water was the only thing that could fully destroy him. He had never felt so peaceful in his oldest rival. It rushed down his bare skin, cleansing him of his impurities.

Calcifer held his breath. He was naked.

Though no one was around, he felt entirely exposed. This was a new feeling, along with the many others he had felt in his short time in this new form. Bare, soft skin. How he longed to touch another person, feel their skin and embrace them completely. Calcifer did not know what he did to deserve such a reward as this.

It seemed obvious that he wouldn't automatically be fully clothed, but the thought had slipped his mind. Calcifer considered where he might find clothes. The Palace surely had some, though most were probably burned to ash at that point. He imagined the type of clothes he had seen before - black slacks, tan shirt, dark vest. This was the typical attire he saw most men wear, like Howl or Kenta. Calcifer was also fond of long coats, and thought of an orange one to match his former self. He concentrated long and hard about them, knowing what was to come next.

A sense of relief washed over Calcifer as he felt the fabrics conceal his nakedness. Everything he envisioned wrapped around his body. Though human, Calcifer still held magical properties. He had this ability before, but it never came into use for his own purposes.

The fiery branches still lay before him, blocking his path to the others. He inhaled deeply and held both palms forward, pushing them out toward the disaster. The fire turned to smoke as he controlled the flames and the branches disintegrated to splinters. This ability, though widely used to fuel his life, felt much different destroying another fire's life.

Time was limited. Calcifer rushed through the flames and rain, avoiding any instances that would halt his mission. His focus was only on them; he needed to find them.

Gwenda.

He needed to know she was safe, that he hadn't left them for dead in the Throne Room. He told Howl to take care of her - and he trusted him with his life. But still, he needed to know.

The Palace was not as far as he thought it was. The once beautiful exterior had been charred from the inside out, walls blackened and higher floors beginning to crumble. How he hoped he was wrong; how he wished they had gotten away.

Calcifer stopped as he entered the Throne Room. The flames had subsided, nothing left to burn. No signs of life, but also no signs of death, either. He relaxed his shoulders, his mind more at ease. Gwenda was safe.

But they were still separated. Wherever they had gone, whatever their next plan had been, Calcifer would not rest until he was there by their side.

(—)

The sky grumbled and flashes of light burst through darkened clouds. How a deadly fire and a tremendous storm could both rage on in unison was beyond Howl and everyone else who had survived the unexpected war of magicians.

Though void of any warfare, the battleground was anything but tranquil. While the dark magicians abandoned their post, those following the path for freedom remained to mourn the loss of their fellow magicians. From atop the roof overlooking the arena, Howl could hear the cries of those who lived, and as hard as he tried to ignore them he simply could not remove the image from his mind.

The wizard who slashed Lona before they interceded lay on the ground, one of his horns cut off and blood pouring from his mouth like a fountain. The Witch had finished him off, along with a few others who realized the potential of Nolan. He was next to Nade when it came to strength in his source and found it easy to abandon previous morals. He would have caused much more damaged had he continued their plot of destruction.

Kenta and Xarx joined Howl, both with more red on their bodies than skin color. Xarx removed his torn shirt, nothing left to it but shreds of cloth. Kenta stood firmly on one leg and bent the other, masking the pain he felt with a healing spell. Xarx stood watch, waiting for any of Suliman's true followers to return with reinforcements. He knew that was only a portion of her army; the rest were returning from Ovela, and he wanted to make sure they were prepared.

Kenta bit his lip. "Where are the girls?"

Howl cleared his throat. "Martha took them."

Kenta ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes wide with terror. "What was going through Lona's head to make her want to fight? She would have been killed."

"She loves you." Howl said, though he wandered his eyes to the deaths that surrounded them. "She would do anything to protect you. And I bet she's a lot stronger than you give her credit for."

"I know she has strength." Kenta said. His breath was heavy, like he needed to push the air out forcefully for the natural process to work. "But humans are completely unmatched against magicians. I couldn't let her die to save me."

Xarx looked between the two of them. "What's our next move?"

Howl turned to Kenta, but his eyes merely wandered around the massacre, attempting and failing as well to do what Howl how done since the first war - forget.

Howl sighed. There was always a plan; there was always somewhere to go or something to gain or someone to save. But now - Howl didn't know what to do now.

"Howl!" The three wizards stood in preparation for an attack, but the witch who shouted his name was not one of the enemy. Martha stormed in their direction, her eyes that of someone gone mad. "Go to Sophie. Now!"

"Where is she?" Howl asked.

"Where's Lona?"

Before she replied, Martha slapped her hand firmly across Howl's cheek. He bent to the side, his opposite hand immediately holding the reddened skin.

He glared at Martha. She had proven time and time again her disregard for Howl and his decisions and he didn't want to hold anything back.

"You cannot fight battles you think you will win." Martha said over the thunder. She lifted her chin to match Howl's gaze, not at all frightened by his height advantage. "You know your place, you know who needs you this very minute and you chose to abandon her."

"I did not!" Howl shouted, though Martha appeared unfazed by his fit of rage. "I fought for my freedom, same as any other magician who fought and even died for this."

"At what cost?" Martha said. "Half of your allies perished. War does nothing to satisfy anyone. Whether you win or lose, you will always suffer the deaths of your brothers and sisters who fought by your side." Martha pointed to the display below - the death, the mourners, the life-changing implications that would come from this occurrence. She clenched her teeth. "Now tell me, do you feel satisfied?"

Howl grabbed her wrist and forced her arm back to her side. "We defeated Suliman's army. Those who remained fled to God knows where. We won."

Martha pursed her lips. She shook her head. "Then you have your answer."

As she turned away, Howl reached for her arm once more and turned her around. "Where is Sophie?"

Martha looked down to his grip, soft but not willing to let her go until she answered. Her visions were accurate; her visions went according to plan. But not anymore. For the first time, she did not know what would come from this. "In the room where you created your child in the first place." When the last syllable was spoken, Howl was merely holding thin air.

(—)

Everything seemed so close in the Wastes. The burning capital was not as far away as the magicians who lived there would have liked to imagine, and the sight before the humans taken from the scene only heightened their concern. Everyone had someone involved in that war, and everyone felt too powerless to do anything about it.

Gwenda covered her mouth, her hand shaking in awe, as a tower crumbled. It moved so swiftly, so fluidly to the ground below, sending up a cloud of dark smoke in its place. Only a few left; time clocked away and all she could see was a group of people desperate to return and make efforts where they could.

Gwenda turned to the others. "We have to go back." Some looked at her oddly, some looked with hopeless eyes - but others stood with confidence. Markl for one, with Heen sitting next to his foot and his chin raised to the sky. Somer nodded in agreement, and only in this did George nod as well. Beth seemed skeptical, but Mari was on board with Gwenda.

Lona pulled her arm, bringing Gwenda to her height. "We can't leave."

"Why do people keep saying we can't do things that they can?" Gwenda said.

Lona widened her eyes. "Because that's just it, Gwenda! We can't do things they can. Magicians have powers for a reason and we don't. End of story."

Gwenda shook her head. "Powers or no powers, our friends are there and quite possibly dying as we speak. The more we waste time the more chances we give to Suliman to keep her reign."

"Why is this so important to you?" Lona asked, her voice pleading with her. "Why can't you just let Kenta and Howl and the others handle it?"

Gwenda scoffed. "Like you did running to Kenta's side and nearly killing yourself?" The harsh winds sent chills throughout the band of humans, many holding onto cohorts for warmth. Lona's long hair blew away from her face, her red eyes still shining above all the agony they witnessed. Years had separated them, anger and misunderstanding and loss - Gwenda couldn't bear losing her again, but she knew where her place was.

Lona took in a quick breath. "That was different. I would have given my life for Kenta because I love him."

"And I don't?" Gwenda said, her finger pointed to her chest. "You think you're the only one who might have lost someone today? I already did! Maybe I'm doing this because I have anger issues or I'm looking for a death sentence or whatever. Maybe, it just so happens that I love someone and he's probably dead right now and the only way I can make it up to him is by saving his family!"

Her voice lifted over the thunder and rain, silencing the rest of their group. The wind whistled and cut through the open air, thrashing around anything loose. Heen hid behind Markl's legs, somewhat intimidated by Gwenda's harsh tone. Her anger had quickly turned to misery, though, as she wrapped her arms over her chest and bent forward with a stream of tears.

He was gone; her one companion. The one person who listened to her complaints about Justin giving her false affection or Lona running off to be with Kenta or just everyday petty problems; the one person who listened to her dreams in life and encouraged her to be the person she aspired to be, someone better than she was; the one person who listened to her deepest hidden scars and didn't take advantage of the trust she had given him.

The only one who continuously moved heaven and earth just to show her he cared - how could she repay him by doing nothing in return?

Lona raised her arms slowly, and with a gentle touch held Gwenda as close as her sister would let her. She dropped her face into Lona's shoulder, the muffled cries audible through the clinking raindrops. The others watched, waited in muted conversation, for a reaction. A word. An instruction.

Lona stroked her sister's short hair. "I didn't know you loved someone."

Beth coughed toward Mari. "At least it's not Prince Justin." Gwenda glared up from her sister's embrace to Beth, who merely dropped her gaze and shrugged her shoulders in embarrassment. "Sorry."

Gwenda stood straight. Part of her was frightened. More than frightened - she was utterly terrified of magicians and their power. But the other part, the one Gwenda had become accustomed to ignoring, told her this was the right thing to do. Whether she lived or died, she knew where her place was.

"I'm going back to Kingsbury." Gwenda said to the group. Markl and Heen stood by her side, the young wizard letting her know he knew the spell to transport them all back if they wished.

"I want to see my son, too." Somer said.

Mari took a step forward. "And I want to find my sister and her husband."

The others nodded, each taking a step forward to express their support. They knew the danger; they knew what the outcome might be. And yet they were still willing to fight.

Gwenda turned to her sister. "Lona? Are you coming?"

Her eyes glistened above her smile, and though she shivered from head to toe, Lona also took her place at Gwenda's side. Markl waved his hand over the group, whispered his spell, and all had vanished.

 **Three different parts. Everyone was together and then they got separated and now they're trying to get back... geez, lots of back and forth. If I did a poll (and I think I might) I'd like to ask who your favorite Howl's Moving Castle character is and your favorite OC character. I have my own biases but I want to know whose individual stories you're more interested in. Please vote, I will probably have that up sometime later today and thanks for reading! I will be back ASAP!  
**


	33. Fateful Night

**Hello fanfiction world! I apologize IMMENSELY for my absence. School has been rough this semester, I didn't realize what I was getting into when I picked my classes. But I finally made time for this chapter and was able to finish it! I hate to do this again, but updates will definitely be slow even in the last 5 or 6 chapters we have left :((( I'm so sad to be nearly done with this one since it's probably my favorite one that I've written. It's definitely the longest so I thank all of you who have stuck with me and continued on with this story and Thorns of a Rose. You all are awesome!**

Time was slipping through his fingers as quickly as he cleared the room of his most precious belongings. He didn't have room for everything - his suitcase only able to fit a select few items - so he chose wisely. He wondered, during his seemingly simple selective process, where he came to collect so many objects and trinkets that had no core value to him. He hoped that in this new life he was about to start out on, maybe he could put his materialistic tendencies to rest. He hoped, at least.

He clicked the suitcase close. That was it; that was everything he would live off of until he created his new home, a new sanctuary - one as far away from Suliman and this war she planned as possible. He would even form aliases if need be, assuming she might attempt to seek him out.

A steel box sat on his bed, a light glow seeping through the cracked lines spaced evenly around. He lifted the lid slightly, making sure his demon was safe and fueled. Calcifer, having little room to spread his flames, looked up in longing. "How far are we going?"

Howl dropped his gaze. "I don't know. But I won't lie, this journey will be difficult. I need your support, Calcifer."

The fire demon nodded. As uncomfortable and frightened as he was, he was more concerned with what would happen to him if Howl were forced to join the upcoming war. Their connection could be lost and Calcifer could vaporize from existence. That was a risk he was not willing to take.

Howl lifted the box and then a knock against the door sent Howl into shock. His hands shivered uncontrollably and the box fell from his grip. Calcifer remained inside, but molten ash fell to the wooden floor.

"Howl?" A muffled voice said. "Is everything okay?" Howl recognized the voice - Kenta. He had told him earlier he was going to bed to rest for their final week of apprenticeship. He couldn't bear a proper farewell, but this unexpected greeting had foiled his original plan.

Howl picked up the box and stepped on the ashes, hoping to put them out before they increased and damaged the floors. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself on the night of his departure.

"Howl, I'm coming in." Kenta opened the door, allowing the stream of light from the hallway to enter the dark atmosphere of Howl's dormitory. Howl rushed to close the lid of Calcifer's temporary home, leaving the ashes to spread and spark up lightly. Kenta stood with the door opened, unable to form words.

Howl looked up at him and then to the door. He closed it with a swift spell in his mind. Kenta's shoulders shuttered from the slam as he scanned the room. A suitcase, a frantic wizard, and a concealed object Howl attempted to hide in a steel box.

Kenta licked his lips. "I assume you're not getting to bed early for classes tomorrow."

Howl tapped the floor at the pace of his heartbeat, running his fingers through his unkempt hair. He trusted him; after a decade of training, they had put aside their unfortunate meeting and became close friends. He was his best friend - he could trust him with this.

Howl put his hands out in front, his mind fumbling for the words to say. "I'm leaving."

Kenta widened his eyes. "Leaving?"

"Tonight."

"Why?" Kenta asked. He searched Howl for a valid excuse, something to make him understand his reasons for this ill-conceived plan. "We're nearly done with our training. We'll be full-fledged wizards in a week. Why would you throw away our years of training right at the end?"

Howl bit his lip, his foot still tapping the ground. "You should consider doing the same."

Kenta raised his eyebrows. "Again, why?"

"Madame Suliman has been fooling us from the start. She plans to use our abilities for warfare."

"War?" Kenta appeared surprised. "Who would we go to war with?"

"I don't know and I don't want to be here to find out." Howl said. He scanned the room for any signs of surveillance, the paranoia slowly creeping in. If he learned one thing from Madame Suliman, it was that anyone could be listening at any time. "She wants us to feel obligated to her enough so we come back willingly, but she's only going to abuse your talents. She's manipulative and cruel and I'm getting out of here as fast as I can. Please, you have to believe me."

Though his eyes longed to understand, they were unable to. Kenta was loyal; it was his greatest quality and most exploited. Suliman had him and all the others on a tight string and she was the commander.

"I…" Kenta couldn't form a lucid sentence. Howl didn't expect him to be so quick to believe something as farfetched at this. However, he didn't have time to wait for him to reconsider.

"I have to go." Howl grabbed the latch from his suitcase and the steel box. He glanced one last time, hoping to see some alteration - but Kenta was too confused to be able to understand the drastic events that would occur in the near future. "If you change your mind, meet me by the edge of the capital city before Market Chipping. I'll wait a while, but I cannot risk her finding me."

Calcifer peeped through the lid, his eyes meeting with Kenta's. The wizard bobbed his head back. "What is that?"

"I'm a who!" Calcifer shouted. "I'm a scary and powerful fire demon!" Howl shut the box and scolded Calcifer for shouting. He stuck his fiery tongue out, but Howl didn't have time for antics.

He clipped the steel box to his belt loop, then placed his free hand on Kenta's shoulder. "We're leaving. Thank you for being my friend when I had none. It pains me to say goodbye, but I hope you will understand why later."

Kenta could hardly move, but managed a slight nod. Howl removed his hand, stood with his feet together, and vanished from the Palace.

(—)

It all felt so familiar, though that didn't bring them any comfort. He could handle Suliman; he could handle her tricks and schemes when it was himself that he worried about. Now he had Sophie - now she had Sophie, and that killed him. It was easy to run and hide and leave everything behind before.

But now he wasn't alone.

And though he accepted that he would be a father and cherished the years ahead with a child of their own, Suliman was one spell away from ripping that future away from them entirely.

Their steps echoed in the spiral hallway as the three wizards climbed to where Martha had directed. Kenta and Xarx trailed behind Howl, who was desperate and determined to face Suliman once again. She had gone too far - she had started wars, kidnapped humans for leverage, brainwashed magicians to serve for her cruel tactics. Howl had survived all of this; he had lived with this and stood strong against her will. Taking their child would be the ultimate task she could complete that would truly devastate Howl.

As they reached the door, Howl pressed hard against the sturdy wood. Nothing. The handle was stagnant, the door was sealed and restrained the occupants inside. Muffled screams emitted through to their ears, Howl's anger only fueling his strength. He continued slamming against the door, each time with more effort and strength than before. Kenta pushed him aside to have a clear view of the door. He whispered a spell and the lock unlatched, giving Howl enough time to break the door.

Sophie lay on the bed, her arms and feet restricted and a man in a lab coat at the foot of the bed. Her eyes were wide with fear, even as they turned to Howl. She was more afraid of him being there in the same situation than if it were just her.

"Howl!" The three wizards were thrown against the wall under Suliman's control. Electricity wrapped around their wrists, ankles, and neck, holding them tightly against the wall. They struggled against the constraints but were sparked if they touched the electricity. Howl seethed at the sight of Suliman, disgusted at how she stood prideful before them.

"Welcome to the party." She took a couple steps in their direction. "We've been waiting for you."

Howl turned to the doctor as his hands moved and struck himself against the electric restraints. "If you lay one hand on Sophie or that baby-"

"You'll what?" Suliman interrupted. She was inches away from him, though he had no advantage against her. She was, as always, completely in power. "Tell me. What is the great Wizard Howl Pendragon going to do against the unstoppable Madame Suliman?"

"You've already lost." They turned to Kenta. He narrowed his eyes at her, unwilling to accept defeat. "We destroyed your army. You have no one left to protect you."

Suliman curved her smile. "Dear Kenta, as if I needed protection in the first place." Her eyes dropped to Xarx, noticing the presence of her former soldier. "You all were simply my puppets, and very good ones at that."

Xarx clenched his teeth and his eyes glowed with a beaming light. Suliman widened her eyes and vanished as Xarx's eyes cast the beam in her direction. When the light faded, Suliman returned - and for a rare moment, appeared ignorant to her pupil's strength.

"Light." She seethed. "How could I have been so foolish?"

Howl glanced between the two. "You mean you never knew?"

"There are a number of sources who can be hidden in plain sight." Xarx's smile was a taunt to Suliman, a symbol of a small victory over her power. "Light, among others, just happens to be one of them."

Suliman narrowed her eyes. "Do you really think I'd have assigned you special operations if I knew you would only extort classified information?"

"Then why assign me at all?"

Suliman exhaled slowly. "You were a promising student by the end. You jumped ten spots within the final month of the apprenticeship having not discovered your source of magic - or so everyone believed. I assigned you to see if _I_ could discover what you were hiding."

The ground began to rumble. Surgical equipment trembled on the silver tray and the doctor held it steady. The wizards pushed back against the wall trying to avoid stumbling against the electricity. Sophie bit her lip and had she not been strapped down to the bed, she might have been thrown recklessly around the room.

The rumble ceased. The room calmed and returned to normalcy. Suliman cursed under her breath - even she knew her time was short.

"Your castle is crumbling." Kenta shouted. Suliman looked around the room wildly, whispering things that didn't sound coherent. "Soon the existence of the Kingsbury Palace will be nothing but a pile of ashes."

Her eyes glowed. "The best people rise from the ashes."

"You're completely insane." Howl clenched his fists. "You can't do this."

Suliman cackled. "Oh, I believe I can."

"I will not let you raise our child!"

Suliman dropped her smile. She clenched her teeth as she stormed for Howl with rage. "This was supposed to be _my_ child! This was _always_ supposed to be my child!"

Howl narrowed his eyes. "What, Owen wasn't good enough for you?"

"Howl." He immediately dropped his gaze to Sophie, her feeble body immobile on the bed. Her gaze was weak; her eyelids fluttered but she couldn't keep them open for too long. "How did… you know Owen?"

Suliman turned between Sophie and Howl. "Oh that's rich, Howl. You never told her, and yet I was under the impression she knew when you two met."

Howl took in a quick breath. "She knew what was important. She didn't need the details."

Suliman tapped her chin, her smile the kind someone wore when discovering valuable information. "You know, it was interesting when we discussed it. Her facts didn't seem entirely straight. And now I know why."

Sophie bit down on her lip, attempting to conceal her reaction to the searing pain that came from her contractions. Her muscles tightened, every part of her being tensed and on the verge of falling apart. She could hardly focus on the situation surrounding her, but Suliman's instigation peaked Sophie's interest - and the fact that Howl was known for keeping secrets. "Howl, what is she talking about?"

He caught his breath at the sight of her. Sophie's agitated state was more unbearable than his own. This was what he feared; this was how he assumed things would come to, but refused to believe until the scene was right there before him. He thought this part of his past was buried forever; he made his peace with it.

But Sophie had a right to know.

"The murder Suliman couldn't arrest me for," Howl said, his head hanging low. "It wasn't ten years ago and it wasn't some random stranger. It was five years ago - and it was Owen, your betrothed."

(—)

For a moment he was free - then he was right in the thick of Suliman's trap.

Howl landed hard on the tile ground in a room he was eerily familiar with. The glass wall, the dark atmosphere not only from the presence of the night but overwhelmingly from the woman who resided in this space. Madame Suliman, once again, always ever knowing.

"Going so soon?" Her voice echoed around the room, though she was not visible to Howl. He stood on shaky legs, turning to view every corner of the room hoping to end the terrifying feeling of not knowing where Madame Suliman was. "Graduation is only a few weeks away - and you were my best student."

"I'm l-leaving." Howl's voice stuttered. "I heard of your plans for the apprentices, I know you're only using us for war."

"And what greater success than controlling the other nations?" Her voice trailed again, though from a different place than before. It was futile trying to track her - she would simply find a way to best him.

"Nations are meant to be separate," Howl shouted. His legs became more sturdy as he subsided his fear of the masterful teacher and stood with his chin held high. "War only causes destruction, there's nothing good about it."

Her laughter grew louder and surrounded the space around him to where he could not pinpoint where she might be. The room darkened and the sound screeched in a painful tone, and though his enemy was merely one sorceress, he felt completely surrounded and outnumbered.

"You're mine." As she came into view with a sinister smile, Howl didn't have a moment to think of his next move. But rather, before she completed her bidding, a figured appeared between the two - his eyes dead set on Howl.

Madame Suliman stopped her attack. She stood paralyzed. "Owen!"

His eyes were filled with an anger that had festered for years and could not be contained any longer. "Let me finish him off."

"No." She said. "I won't allow you to do anything of the sorts."

Owen turned to her, his teeth biting so hard he was close to breaking them. "Why? Because he's important to you? Because he has the abilities you want?"

Suliman reached her hand forward but he held his toward Howl, holding the runaway wizard in a chokehold. Suliman took a step back, afraid of the gaze her son cast her. "Owen, he controls the darkness. He does it better than your father ever could."

"And your son of light isn't even in the equation."

Suliman dropped her jaw. Howl struggled in the background, a breath of survival just barely out of his reach. Owen would kill him; there was no doubt in her mind now that he was capable of doing that. But if he gave in to his emotions, Suliman would lose her only opportunity.

She controlled Owen's mind to release Howl's captivity. The wizard gasped dramatically, pursing his lips out of grasp as much oxygen as he could muster. Suliman stood tall, shoulders back and head tilted down to her son. "You'll get your reward soon enough."

Owen blinked rapidly, biting his lip and his fingers twitching uncontrollably. "Soon enough?" He turned to the gasping Howl, then back to Suliman. "It's always been soon enough!"

With a great flash of light, Owen built a barrier separating Suliman from the two wizards. The light reached into high walls, the sides curving in and then tilting so they became a triangle over Howl and Owen. Suliman rushed to the triangle of light, though the second she touched it's bright wall she fell to the ground with a burning sting. She was not allowed entrance.

Howl fell to one knee as the walls surrounded them - there was no way around Owen's power. Light was a strange source, and with a containment such as this, Howl couldn't even teleport his way outside of the barrier. He had to face Owen; he had to defeat him.

Owen glared at Howl. "I've waited my whole life for soon enough. How about I take what I want right now?" His eyes turned into bright minuscule suns and his hands held dozens of blazing white stars. Howl held his arms in front of him with a dark shield acting as his only cover while Owen thrust the stars toward him like bullets. With each hit, Howl was pushed back though he held his shield strong knowing it was his only defense. Owen took steps toward him and the stars continuously propelled forward, each one damaging the shield and weakening its purpose.

"I don't want to fight you," Howl shouted, hoping to speak some sense into Owen. They had had their differences before - they were by no means friends and they always competed for Madame Suliman's attention. Howl had become her focus by chance, by the pure coincidence that his source resided in the darkness. He never realized the hate Owen had festered in his soul since Howl stole his birthright.

Owen increased the power in his final star before he thrust it toward Howl. The star contacted with Howl's shield, the lightness a much stronger force against the dark.

Howl stood motionless. He was exposed; he was in the perfect position for Owen to earn everything he had ever wanted - Howl's death and the heir to his mother's title.

Owen took long strides toward Howl, a fiery orb gaining power in his hand with each step. He lost the light in his eyes, Howl noticing the same blackness in Owen as when he looked into a mirror. He didn't need darkness as his source to have evil intentions.

Owen seethed. "I need to prove to my mother that I am more powerful than you."

He pulled his arm back and with a flash, the wizard was struck to the ground - his body stone cold.

Howl panted hard, having to push the air out forcefully. He couldn't remember what he did. His words, the spell, the attack - everything save for the dead body before him were blanks in his memory. Owen lay on the ground, his final moments filled with rage and a belief that he had finally beaten his greatest enemy. Howl tried not to look into his open, unmoving eyes, but it was necessary. He needed to face the reality he created.

All he knew was that he had killed Owen.

The barrier began to disintegrate. Without Owen keeping the spell active, it no longer had the power to sustain itself. Howl would be exposed as a killer to Suliman, the wizard who took away her only son.

The moment their eyes met, Howl disappeared - faced with the path of escape for what might be the remainder of his life.

 **I think most of you knew Owen has been dead this whole time. I mean, he never married Sophie so something had to have happened. We are right in the thick of things with Sophie giving birth, Howl unable to stop Suliman, and everyone else still out there on the battlefield and even Calcifer! Oh my Calcifer, what to do! I love him, just gonna say that. He's literally my favorite (I feel like I've said that a million times but he's the best). I hate to say that it might be a few more weeks until the next update, but I promise I will do my best during weekends to sit down and crank out some chapters. Have a good rest of the week and until next time!**


	34. Standing the Storm

**Next chapter coming right up! Boy, as I was editing this one, I kinda realized something - I'm a really dark writer. I don't what you all think of my writing, but this chapter has some dark moments, mostly in the aftermath of the battle (kinda spoiler alert? I don't know anymore haha). I wanted to get this one of as soon as possible because I won't be able to update until around Halloween. I have so many presentations and essays to finish there is no way I can spend time on this in the next couple weeks. But for now, here you go!**

"This was supposed to be Owen's child." Suliman's voice was hazy, distant. Howl tried not to focus on her, but rather kept his gaze on Sophie's petrified look. She was stunned; she was completely struck by his revelation. He recognized that look. He'd seen it every time he lied, every time she'd discovered a secret he was hiding from her. It was a look of agony, of so much inner pain not any spell nor amount of magic was able to revert the damage he'd done.

He wondered how she still hadn't left him after everything he'd done.

Suliman's breath was strong and rancid in his face. Howl imagined she hadn't cleansed herself in a while. It wasn't only her breath; she looked like a disheveled mess as it was - greasy, unkempt bun, nails bitten to the nub, she didn't even try to hide her age anymore. Maybe putting her energy to chasing Howl for the last five years finally wore her out.

She clenched her teeth. "This child should have been his, not yours. Sophie's heritage had been suppressed for so long, she was destined to produce one of the greatest magicians of darkness in this lifetime."

Sophie yelped and tightened her grip around the blankets. "How is that possible?"

Suliman turned to the struggling girl, amusement eerily present on her face. "What, you thought your dear sister simply gained her superior abilities on her own? That your family line had no bearing on whether she would become a Seer?" Suliman laughed almost like a cackle, but more reserved. "She's just as powerful and yet she confines her abilities to defensive and basic spells. She's a disgrace to magicians, especially to your family."

Sophie tried ignoring the ever-present doctor checking and analyzing her contractions, but with so many people in the room during such an intimate moment it was difficult not to notice their presence. She had expected Howl and a trustworthy doctor at most. Had she done a home birth she knew her sister and Gwenda would be there by her side as well. But with Suliman lurking in the midst, intent on stealing the precious child she held inside - Sophie was anything but ecstatic.

Sophie bit her lip. "But my source is electrokinesis, not darkness."

Suliman stood with her back crooked, leaning toward Sophie. Her eyes were plagued with greed, something not far from a craving, a thirst for something unattainable. Suliman was a mad woman, but Sophie had never seen her this deranged. "Doesn't matter. This child will be dark even if I have to train it to be."

Howl scoffed. "Like you couldn't do with Owen."

She glared at Howl, her eyes narrow and black. Howl might have regretted his words, but there wasn't anything Suliman could do at that point to worsen their situation. She seethed through her teeth, pushing air through like a steam coming from a teapot. "Don't you dare speak ill of my son! He's dead because of you!"

"He's dead because of you and you know it." Howl countered. "He wouldn't have battled me if he didn't think he needed to earn your love."

She stood before him and with no hesitation brought him up in the air with her hand tightening around his throat. He was no longer bound like Kenta or Xarx, but the pressure around his throat restricted his breathing, making each breath a struggle. He tried pulling her off, though his efforts made no difference - there was nothing he could against a grieving mother.

"I could kill you." Suliman whispered in the most cynical and hateful tone. She pushed her hand farther up his neck until she rested just below his chin. His airway was fleshy and soft, almost like jello - so vulnerable and delicate. "I could kill you right now and then I could kill Sophie. I could rid the world of your presence, giving me all the power over your child."

He was weak to her, a pawn so easily played she continued to knock him down and bring him back up just to repeat the process. Kenta and Xarx stood between him, both feeling as helpless as Sophie and as enraged as Suliman. Howl's struggle fed her power and she pushed harder and farther up until his eyes nearly rolled back into his head. At that point, she released him.

Howl fell to the floor, wrapping his own hand around his neck. He coughed to the floor, taking in short breaths to resume the oxygen flow. He spat on Suliman's glimmering shoes, to which she responded with a bold kick to his face, knocking him against the wall.

"No." She knelt to his level, watching Howl struggle to remain conscious. "I won't do that. I want to see you suffer. I want you to watch as the woman you love bears _your_ child and gives it to me." Howl's body shook uncontrollably like the feeling of a winter gust brushing down your spine. Suliman's voice was low and engulfed with malice. "I want to see the look on your face as I say the words, 'I win.'"

Howl stirred slightly, his eyes scrunched and his head bobbing forward repeatedly. Kenta tried whispering a spell, but any time he came close to a solution Suliman already diffused his rescue strategy. Xarx scanned the area, his senses picking up something unusual outside of the Palace. Body heat - a lot of body heat. Non-magicians as well. The humans who stood by and watched the battle, the same ones who now returned to the scene for whatever reason. And something else lurking in the Palace.

But this moment, this place with Suliman and Sophie and Howl and Kenta - was now taken to a more drastic level.

Suliman pushed Howl's chin upward, his feeble body lying against the wall helpless. "And I think I'll start my victory with another prize I've been waiting to get my hands on."

Sophie immediately pressed her body up, forcing herself to watch her nightmare come to life during an agonizing contraction. It wasn't just a terrifying dream she could wake up from; it was finally a reality.

Suliman plunged her hand through his chest, Howl's body jerking forward without control, and she retracted - a maroon, bloodstained heart now in her grasp. Howl was unconscious before he hit the ground.

(—)

Gwenda didn't know how it was possible for the battlefield to have been worse than when they left. There wasn't a stone on the ground untouched by someone's blood. The number of magicians noticeably moving were minuscule to those who covered the Palace entryway. The rain washed away the visible stones, but the blood flowed into streams between the cracks and the dead.

Gwenda needed to look away to keep herself from falling apart.

Everyone began shouting names, running through the labyrinth of the living and the dead hoping the person they were looking for was still in the former. Lona followed them, intent on finding Kenta and finding him alive.

Gwenda unwillingly let tears fall down her cheeks, the droplets merging with the rain in such a familiar way. She realized how often this had happened; she realized the numerous times she'd cried in the rain, the drops from above falling in line with her own pain, with her own sufferings. She didn't know many of these magicians; she hardly knew the ones she desperately hoped were still out there, somewhere. And yet somehow, she embraced the loss of each and every one lying on the ground, accepting their departure and mourning their deaths.

A woman shrieked a fair distance away. Gwenda bit her lip, recognizing that voice. She held the urge to look at George and Somer as long as possible, but her gaze eventually fell upon the grieving couple. Somer held a man close to her chest - a beast being a more appropriate term. Gwenda stared with wide eyes at the revelation of their son - the beast who tried to kill Lona and nearly killed Kenta as well. George held Somer's shoulder, not a shred of remorse seen on him. He met Gwenda's uncomfortable stare - his eyes entirely void of anything.

"Aria!" Mari and Beth rushed to a woman slightly older than them. She was distraught as she scanned the remains, her mind unable to comprehend the devastation that had occurred. The lives lost in what would have taken years of battle took less than an hour. Aria barely moved as Mari wrapped her arms around her. "Oh thank goodness, you're still here."

Aria trembled as she rose her wobbly arms around her sister. "Why did this have to happen?" Mari looked over her shoulder and gasped. Nathan, her brother-in-law, blended in to the majority as if he were just another victim. She held her sister tighter, never wanting to let go.

"Everyone!" A voice echoed in the storm from the other side of the massacre. He pointed to the dark sky toward darker figures flying.

The battle wasn't over.

Aria stood up quickly, her legs morphing into a spinning tornado. She eyed the oncoming threat with disgust. "Mari, you and the others need to go."

Mari chattered her teeth. "W-we came back to fight… by your side."

Aria's eyes were broken beyond any remedy. "I can't lose you as well. Please, you all need to find somewhere safe."

Mari shook her head. "We're staying right here."

"Gwenda!" A child's voice. Gwenda turned in all directions, seeking the source. Markl waved his arm high, the little wizard and Heen not too far away. She wasted no time in meeting him, as careful with her steps as she could. He continued waving as she shrunk the gap between them. The only words running through her mind were _please let them be alive._

Lying on the ground, the Witch of the Wastes began to stir and regain consciousness. She'd been seriously injured - her left arm was bleeding through her sleeve and she looked like she'd been working in a coal mine for hours. She could hardly push her body up, so Markl levitated her until she was in a sitting position.

Markl bit his lip. "Is she dead?"

Gwenda knelt on one knee, assessing her injuries. She shook her head. "No, but she does need help." Gwenda ripped the end of her shirt and used the cloth to wrap around the Witch's arm. She was safe, but Howl and Kenta were still a mystery to her. Lona stood a few feet away, her wandering eyes scanning through the endless downpour.

Heen rested on his stomach, observing the scene carefully. Markl pet him from the top of his head down his back. They were each other's only comfort in a disaster such as this.

The Witch still seemed disoriented, but once she recognized Gwenda everything else seemed to fall into place. As she tried standing up, the Witch grunted from the pain. "How has that boy not found you yet?"

Gwenda raised her eyebrows. "What?" Then she turned to Markl. He was right behind her.

The Witch shook her head, then turned to their oncoming arrivals. Still a fair distance away, Suliman's remaining army was en route back to the Palace. The damage to their numbers was extensive, only seeming to be a few dozen. With the humans alongside them, their numbers overpowered Suliman's, though numbers didn't mean anything in a battle of magic.

The Witch pushed herself onto shaky legs until she found her balance. She narrowed her eyes to the intruders, whispering something under her breath so low the rain covered her voice completely. Her gaze turned to Gwenda and Markl, both looking to her for answers.

"Madame Witch of the Wastes." They turned to Lona as she rushed toward them. "Did you see anything happen to Kenta after we left?"

"Or Master Howl?" Markl asked.

The Witch nodded. "Last I saw they went running into the Palace on a suicide mission. No doubt that Suliman locked Sophie there somewhere."

She turned to Gwenda. "Here. You might need this." Gwenda followed her hand as she raised it to the sky. She curled her fingers around the falling rain, and the drops fell together and trickled into the form of a sword. The Witch handed it to Gwenda, though she was afraid the structure would collapse into a puddle. The water moved around in its shape, like a stream moving back and forth repeatedly.

Gwenda held the sword higher and she jolted in shock as a flash of lightning struck down, hardening the water into a silver blade. The weight was alarming and she needed both hands to grip the sword, but she was mesmerized by the reflection the sword gave off. It was a white light bouncing off of the raindrops that fell against its smooth edges. It was her only defense.

They looked around to the remaining magicians. They were all in the process of arming their human cohorts with swords, shields, and body armor. Some held a look of fear, others a look of desperation. Gwenda stood dignified - she accepted her fate.

At this point, there was no turning back.

 **Howl lost his heart... again! For those who didn't read Thorns of a Rose, Sophie had been having nightmares of Suliman taking his heart. And now it's actually happened. Also, Gwenda has a cool sword now :) She's probably one of my favorite OCs ever. It'll be a while until I'm back, but I promise I am not abandoning this. I will see it through to the end. I am also doing NaNoWriMo this year (if you don't know what that is, shame on you. JK haha but you should look it up) and I'm starting it this year by finishing this fanfic! Finally! Only 4 more chapters to go! Thanks for all the support and reads and reviews and everything!**


	35. Rise

**Happy November! Wow, it feels great to be back. I am so excited to finish this fanfiction and move forward with the story becuase there is still a lot more to happen! With NaNoWriMo this month, I'll be writing a ton more and probably will finish this fanfic before the month is over (that's so sad but awesome at the same time). Lot of crazy stuff happening in this one, so I'll leave you to it. Enjoy!**

Justice. The meaning of that word was lost to her now. She had seen too many good people suffer and die as a result of evil actions. She had seen too much in general.

Too often people took advantage of good intentions, of good people, and snatched away every ounce of goodness in someone until they no longer served their purpose. Martha would know better than anyone - she's seen future decisions, future events, centuries ahead of their time.

She stood shakily in the rain, watching the commencement of their second battle from the Wastes. Gwenda was stubborn; there was no doubt she had the ability to convince the humans to stand up and fight. As much as Martha tried to prevent what she knew, the spirit of life had ways of keeping events on track. She had little control over what she saw.

Her voice was soft, nearly defeated as she whispered, "Why me?" She was alone; she lost everyone she'd ever known - all because of the Royal Family. All because of their selfish acts. All because she was a Seer.

Martha felt numb in her legs and couldn't stand on her own. She fell to her knees, soaking them in cold rain and mud. She didn't mind the chills that rushed through her entire body; that she'd gotten used to. What she had finally grown tired of was being useless.

"Why me?" She stared at the ground. "Why me?" She clenched her fists. "Why me?" Her voice was frail.

She pushed her body forward and threw a fistful of mud at the air, her words challenging the intensity of the thunder. "Why me!"

The sky roared in response, but she was not frightened. How could she be, after everything she'd seen?

Mrs. Fairfax had told her once that every source was flawed: electrokinesis, when taught accordingly, became too powerful and dangerous; the natural elements had the ability to change environmental patterns; darkness fed off of light's demise and light fed off of darkness' demise. And Seers were bound by their visions, chained by their knowledge, and forced to watch as the visions happened in real life.

Martha tilted her head upward until she saw the rain falling down in straight lines from the dark sky. Magic was beautiful; when she discovered her source and its rarity, she thought she was special. She thought maybe it was meant to be, that she was to do amazing things in life and help people with this extraordinary gift. There were not many Seers around, not many she knew or had heard of.

Howl once said there were certain people responsible for a gift like this, to be able to see future events. Martha couldn't see how she had held up her duty the way she was supposed to. She'd only allowed destruction and chaos to commence.

Martha opened her eyes to the sky. "Why was I cursed with knowing these events?" It wasn't a gift; it wasn't her responsibility to take care of everyone and keep them on course. She could cope with seeing events decades from this time, when no one she knew would be alive to witness. Then the visions were closer in time, closer in relation, closer in emotion. Lettie's death was enough of a breaking point where she truly believed she couldn't continue with this ability any longer.

She couldn't live without the visions. Her mentality couldn't force herself to stop them. She tried ignoring them, tried forgetting what she saw - but they still kept coming to her.

Even now.

Martha screamed and pulled the damp grass out from their roots. She couldn't watch, couldn't experience another tragedy or death or massacre. _How do people live with this ability for the entirety of their lives?_ She thought. She couldn't bear another vision.

She caught the blaze from the corner of her eye. The Palace, still engulfed with flames, had lost another tower. The rubble fell near the battlefield, but whichever unfortunate soul was caught with it was beyond her. She hadn't seen that far.

One tower remained - the only one by a miracle that was spared the extremities that had turned the majority of the Royal Palace into ashes. The only one by magic that could withstand.

Martha stood slowly, taking in the scene. She narrowed her eyes at the sliver of light that came from the window. Only one word resonated in her mind as she disappeared from the safety of the Wastes - justice.

(—)

"Mari, look out!" Mari screeched as she ducked, trying to avoid Gwenda's powerful infliction upon the demon who approached her. The sword sliced through the demon's shoulder, a heavy roar escaping past his fangs. Gwenda held onto the handle with both hands and removed it. Mari took two steps back before the demon set his sights back on her.

"Over here!" Mari and Gwenda turned to Aria. She spun her legs and sped toward them, her mouth moving rapidly as a spell formed in her mind. She thrusted her arm forward, the demon overcome by the intensity of her power.

Aria transformed and stood on two solid legs. She straightened her jacket and wiped her face clean with the sleeve. Gwenda and Mari would have stood there, staring at her advanced skill, had there not been more enemies at every turn.

"We can't defeat them all." Aria said. When Suliman's army returned, they came with much more than they left. Those who were still off fighting in Ovela had joined them, most siding with the Sorceress. Some had joined their side, the ones fighting to end Suliman's reign, but not many.

Gwenda turned to her. "We have to try."

"They almost doubled in manpower." Aria said, her eyes scanning the area to see if anyone had spotted the three off to the side scheming. "We need someone or something to take out dozens before we'd even have a chance."

A loud growl bellowed across the battlefield, startling the three women. Gwenda nearly dropped the sword from the sight of Heen and Markl. The young wizard waved his wand around in a circular motion above the minuscule dog, repeating a spell. With each spin, Heen grew wider and taller and more frightening until he reached the height of the Palace stairwell. No longer wheezing, Heen roared.

Mari pointed a wobbly hand in the dog's direction. "Th-that's a…"

"Yeah." Gwenda said, equally as awed. "That's a dog."

Heen used his paws to smack at the opposing magicians, picking them off one by one. Markl followed behind him into the thick of the battle, sparking Gwenda's protective instincts.

"Markl!" She rushed toward him, tearing through humans and magicians alike fighting with brute force or magical ability. Thoughts of what Sophie and Howl would think had they known the predicament they were in and how Markl was fully invested in participating ran wild in Gwenda's mind. Her only concern was keeping that boy safe; Sophie would never forgive her if anything happened to him.

Everyone held their attacks when the ground rumbled. The vibrations underneath their feet pulsated like an earthquake, though this was not a natural disaster - another tower was collapsing.

Heen ran in the opposite direction as the tower crumpled behind him, crushing a number of victims underneath its rubble. Markl stopped abruptly as Heen jumped over him. The young wizard hovered his arm over his mouth as the dust from the debris flooded the open air. Gwenda caught up to him and push his shoulders back against her chest. Had he been in front of Heen, he would have died.

Gwenda turned him around so he faced her. "Markl, are you okay?"

"I'm okay." He said quickly. "Gwenda, those people…"

She bit her lip and held him close, thankful for every breath she felt him inhale. His heartbeat was fast, like a blinking light repeatedly turning on and off. His hair was greasy and messy, like a boy's should have been but not from this - not from war. She wanted to take him away, keep him away from the fighting and the death and the pain they witnessed and even experienced through the course of this whole ordeal. She wanted to protect him from it all.

For a moment, she forgot where they were.

The final sounds of a spell rang in her ears and she turned around as the spell was enacted. Gwenda held Markl behind her, shutting her eyes from what might come. _As long as he was safe,_ she thought. _As long as he was alive in the end._

But nothing came.

Wondering what had happened, Gwenda peeked her eyes open to see a familiar witch with long, auburn pigtails standing before her, stunned and immobile. Not a blink, not a breath - she was completely still. In her grip was a small dagger, the blade so thin Gwenda may not have felt anything had she been just a few inches closer.

Gwenda released quick exhales. She hadn't seen Noe since their first confrontation of the night. Wishful thinking, she had hoped the annoying witch hadn't recovered from the damages. As much as she tried to ignore the edge of the dagger an impulse away from slicing her throat, she could not take the image out of her mind.

"And I thought I was a conniving witch." Gwenda noticed a larger woman behind Noe - the Witch of the Wastes. She held Noe in a frozen position, and she savored every moment of it. "You sly little girl, yet so foolish." With a wave of her hand, Noe rolled her eyes back into her head and fell to the ground, the dagger resting softly in her open palm.

Gwenda could hardly move. She couldn't form a proper gratitude. "You…"

"Don't thank me yet, darling." The Witch of the Wastes said, not letting her guard down. She scanned every inch in front of them, knowing how quickly things could change. "We're not through with this battle yet."

"Right you are!" The Witch of the Wastes sucked in an exasperated breath, her chin pushing upward. Gwenda and Markl took a step back, both as speechless as the woman with the sharp end of a sword bulging from her mid section. She lowered her eyes to Gwenda, then to Markl, before the man thrusted his sword out of her and she collapsed before them, lying next to Noe.

Markl stared at her immobile body, deciding whether or not to cry or punish the man with the bloody sword. Gwenda had no trouble deciding between the two.

She held her sword with two unsteady hands and spoke with a shivering voice. "You bastard!"

King Rolland, his hair smoothly pushed back and mustache cleanly trimmed, shrugged. "I hope it's nothing personal."

Justin and Johanna stood a few feet behind him. Johanna held her arms close to her chest, her eyes wide and glossy. Justin narrowed his gaze to Gwenda, as if he had seen enough of her.

"Ro, let me handle this." Justin reached for the sword in his brother's hand, but Rolland moved it away from him. Justin clenched his jaw. "Rolland, let me finish her."

"Markl, go." Gwenda said in a low voice. The young boy looked to her, but she kept her focus on the Royal Family. "Go to Heen and stay with him. Protect the others."

"But what about you?"

Gwenda stabilized her grip. "Either we'll end with a dead king or we'll end with a dead nobody. Either way, I'm not giving up. I'm not letting him get away with another murder."

Rolland turned to her, a soft chuckle creeping through. "You think you can kill me?"

Gwenda turned to Markl, who still hadn't moved. "Markl, go!" The boy jolted from her tone and ran back to where Heen was on a rampage. Gwenda focused on Rolland's eyes, how full of anger and hate they seemed. She felt that in her own gaze, although there was one stark difference between them - she had nothing left to lose and he was gambling everything on this.

Rolland sliced the sword down and Gwenda promptly raised hers in defense. With every swing, she powered her force with the hatred she felt for him. For all the damage he caused, the wars he started - she wanted to be the one to end his reign. This, she was certain of.

"You're wasting your energy, little girl." Rolland shouted over the rumbling sky and crumbling Palace. "I am far more skilled than you."

Gwenda moved the sword like it was an extension of her arm, a part of her own being. Flashes of those she knew appeared in her mind - Lettie, the Witch of the Wastes, Sophie and Howl, Kenta and Lona. Calcifer.

"You've taken everyone I care about away from me." Gwenda shouted, not once letting her sadness stop her from attacking. "You killed them or put them through hell and I won't watch it happen again." She slashed his arm, making a noticeable slit along the forearm. Johanna covered her mouth in shock, but Justin merely scoffed.

Rolland turned to the gash, touching the blood that trickled and mixed in with the falling rain. Gwenda kicked his chin, forcing him to fall to the ground on his back. He bobbed his head left and right, his consciousness slowly fading away. She wasted no time.

"No!" Justin grabbed the sword from his brother's open palm and held it against Gwenda's before her next attack. They were in a standstill. "You think you can just waltz into my life and destroy everything I care about?"

"Like you ever truly cared about anyone." Gwenda seethed. "Even your heinous brother."

Justin pulled back, but held his ground. "You know, I saw a fighting spirit in you when we met. I knew you were strong. Hell, had things been different I might have actually fallen for you."

Gwenda tightened her grip. "Sorry, I'm not a Hatter sister, so I guess I don't qualify." She swung repeatedly, both swords clinking and sparking with each contact. She moved more swiftly than before, forcing Justin to fall back and rely on defense. Her steps were long and Justin couldn't keep up; Gwenda's motivator was a stronger power than his.

With a single exertion, Gwenda drove the sword downward and Justin's cracked. The metal of the sword could not withstand the magic wielded inside of hers. Justin held the handle, watching as the metal shattered like glass and turned useless. He stared at the broken pieces.

Then he caught her gaze.

He dropped the handle, raising his hands in the air. "I-I'm sorry, Gwenda."

All she could do was laugh. "Of course you are."

She contemplated her next motion carefully. After all the things he had done alongside his brother, Justin deserved the same fate. He deserved to die. For Lettie, for Sophie, for Calcifer - for everyone.

"Gwenda, behind you!"

It happened before she realized what was done - the small dagger in Rolland's hand, the sudden motion of her sword, and a stolen soul.

She exhaled. He blinked.

They stared at the entry of her sword into his chest.

Time seemed to pause in that moment. Her thoughts muddled together in her mind and she couldn't focus on a single one. She released her hold of the sword, leaving the blade where it was. She watched as he choked; she watched as he fell to his knees; and she watched as he died.

No screams. No tears. Instead, as Gwenda turned around only Johanna stood where she had been, covering her mouth. Justin had disappeared, to where Gwenda had not seen.

She approached Johanna, the young woman still stunned. Gwenda cleared his throat. "Did you warn me that he was coming?"

She shook her head. Gwenda creased her eyebrows - then who had shouted her name?

Johanna pointed back toward the Palace, her eyes fixated on a single being standing at the top of the stairwell. Gwenda stared as well when she saw the man on fire.

"Run!"

"Get out of here!"

People shouted at each other, screaming that the Palace would collapse right on top of them if they didn't leave. Gwenda and Johanna stood cemented to the ground, the man on fire their only focus. He produced large flames from his hands and they swirled together in the air.

Then she ran.

 **I think I've killed at least one person in the last three or so chapters. I'm kind of heartless. But the Witch of the Wastes... that one was tough for me to do. She had grown so much as a character and I felt that dying to save the people she cared about was a good ending for her. And then King Rolland - I don't think too many people are sad about that one, but you might be. Any thoughts on what you read? This was such an intense chapter and it only escalates from here. 4 chapters left... it all ends here. Lemme know what you think and thanks for reading! I'll be back soon!**


	36. Heart of Courage

**Happy NaNoWriMo everyone! Who's been keeping up with their word count? Tbh I've totally been slacking, but I hope this chapter makes up for that! I have to be honest, this chapter was super emotional to me when I was writing it. You all probably have an idea of what it's about, but I hope you still enjoy it nonetheless. This is literally my favorite one so far. But I've kept you waiting for long enough... here you go!**

Running. Gwenda looked around the stone streets of Kingsbury, watching as others followed her motions. Johanna had disappeared into the mass, as had everyone else she knew. Lona was nowhere to be found; Markl returned Heen to his normal size, and they quickly vanished from sight. Mari, Beth, Aria, and everyone else joined the fleeting crowd. She was alone.

Dark clouds covered an even darker sky, light posts failing to brighten her view of the surrounding area. The city was a ghost town, the citizens of Kingsbury simply too afraid to vacate, leaving the streets abandoned save for one person. She didn't know where she was or where she was going.

All she knew was that she needed to run.

"Wait!" Gwenda turned her head, but kept running. The man on fire was chasing her, only her. Why her? Why was she his target? Something had happened to him in that Palace. The flames seemed to consume him, but she didn't waste a moment to ponder these thoughts.

Her heart raced against the speed of the pouring rain as they splattered like bullets onto the stone pavement. The sky roared in anger and the droplets fell harder, faster. Puddles formed in the low dips of the street and she attempted to avoid them at all costs. She didn't need anything slowing her down, though her racing thoughts were already doing so.

 _Get out, now._

 _Leave before they find you._

 _Save yourself._

These words would haunt her dreams and nightmares.

She didn't listen; she ignored their pleas for safety. Whatever courage that had been hidden in her before suddenly sprung to life the moment she decided there was something worth fighting for.

"Wait, please!" The man's voice again. How he continued to find her everywhere she turned was still a mystery. She couldn't be safe as long as he was trailing her. _Be stronger_ , she whispered to herself. _Be stronger, faster, braver._

The sound of his heavy footsteps against the puddles increased. There was nowhere left to turn. In the middle of a dark alley, she was trapped.

She turned around, only to find the man mere inches from her. She jolted back and fell to the cold, wet ground, pushing herself back away from him. He knelt to her level, his face hidden by his cloak though his brilliant hair burned ferociously. One hand covered his middle while the other reached out for her.

Gwenda pushed one hand forward and turned her head. "No!"

"Please." He begged. "You know me."

She widened her eyes, then quickly shut them. "I don't remember you, so how can I know you?"

"Before this. Before I was like this." He removed the hood from his head, revealing his true self. "Please, look at me."

Gwenda trembled, keeping her eyes in the dark. Her lips quivered from the chills of the rain and the fear of this stranger. He did not dare touch her, but rather inched closer to her until his breath grazed her cheek.

"Please, Gwenda." Her name. She opened her eyes at the sound of her name. The pitter-patter of rain and their heavy exhales were the only sounds they heard, making them the only two people in the vicinity. If his intention was to harm her, he would have done so by now.

Gradually, she turned her head forward, her eyes following the ground until she reached him. He sat on his feet, his knees propped out for balance. He wore dark clothes that matched the night and a radiant cloak that matched his orange hair. He was not a threat.

When she looked into his eyes, she almost thought there were tears but with the rain, it was difficult to be sure. They were wide with determination and filled with a bright spirit. They were safe, harmless, yet still filled with a loss of purity she had known too well. The same eyes she condemned for seeing the truth; the same soul she expressed her deepest secrets to; the same man she begged not to leave her again.

His features were a beautiful reminder. It was like seeing color in a black-and-white film for the first time - all she could do was stare. "Remember me."

Her sight was blurred by the tears that poured out. "Calcifer… oh my God, Calcifer!" She wrapped her arms around him, crying deep into his shoulder. Calcifer exhaled heavy breaths. The feeling of Gwenda so close to him was a magnificent and breathtaking feeling. He felt so warm with her arms around his neck, her tears falling onto his shoulder, and the thought of knowing that his body - what used to be encompassed in flames - could not harm her.

He touched her hair and motioned through the shortness. He rested his head against hers, his lips against her ear. "I can finally hold you."

Gwenda pulled away, wiping the tears that remained. "I thought you were dead."

Calcifer shook his head. "Far from it."

"But you're… how did you…" She placed her fingers along his cloak, moving them over the vest and then to the center of his chest. He was human; he was finally human. His heartbeat pulsed against her fingertips, each beat like a hammer pounding gently against the tip of a nail. She looked up, noticing his eyes were closed and his hand had reached up. His fingers wrapped around hers like he was protecting them from the cold.

Out of instinct, Gwenda dropped her hand, holding her wrist down to her stomach.

"I wish I could tell you," Calcifer whispered, though he still caught her attention. His eyes remained closed. "Your hair did something to me, something I'd never felt before."

Gwenda nodded in remembrance. "You were incredible. I'd never seen you control so much power." She wanted to say something, ask if her hair was the reason or a more powerful source or something. Part of her desperately wanted to know how this was possible for him to be sitting across from her, holding her and protecting her from rain and cold - the other part was simply grateful that he was there.

Calcifer bit his lip, his hand pressing hard against his heart. "The Witch of the Wastes followed me into the forest. We were just talking, and then somehow… I changed."

Gwenda covered her mouth, thinking of the last time she saw her. Her final act of bravery saved Gwenda's life and stole her own. Maybe she was expecting it to happen, or maybe she had hoped like so many others that she would be spared death this time.

Gwenda choked on her words. "She's dead."

"I saw."

She shook her head. "She changed from the witch she was before. Even with her powers, she used them for good."

Calcifer held her shoulders. Gwenda shuddered. "I know. She died with honor."

The rain continued to fall, filling the silent void between them and prolonged their thoughts from being spoken. The chilling atmosphere caused Gwenda to shiver and chatter her teeth. She bowed her head from the cold, hoping the rapid motions of her hands moving up and down her arms would suppress the goosebumps that persisted. When the heavy cloak wrapped around her body, she lifted her gaze to Calcifer - her eyes filled with wonder.

She finally spoke. "Calcifer, I-"

"I still mean what I said." His voice was firm and strong in his words. His eyes were gentle - two glowing spectacles of radiant light. She knew what he was going to say, though she didn't feel prepared to hear it all at once. "Gwenda, I have never met anyone like you. The Witch of the Wastes… I saw her save your life and I feel forever in her debt because I can't imagine a world without you."

Gwenda dropped her eyes to his hands - two beautiful, pale, icy hands. He held hers in an attempt to keep them both warm. This feeling was surreal, something they never thought they would experience from one another. Something in the way his tenderness brushed against her rugged knuckles relieved a sense of isolation she couldn't shake on her own.

Gwenda's voice was low against the pounding rain. "I can never be the person you deserve."

He rubbed his thumbs over the bruises around her wrists. They were a glossy red color with dark patches where the handcuffs had been. Even after they healed, she would always wear those scars, the marks of torture in the presence of great fear. Calcifer felt a pang of guilt for not being able to stop it, wishing he'd had the ability to stop Noe in the act of ripping Gwenda away from him. He hoped she would forgive him.

Yet even in the face of fear, Gwenda still prevailed and stayed strong. She was so brave in the situations that would normally terrify Calcifer. He hated seeing Gwenda so fearful of Noe because he never wanted anyone to break her spirit. Everything he did from this moment forward would be to keep that from happening again.

"I've never seen anyone so defiant or true to who they are than you." Calcifer said, very resolute. "You are strong and confident and you say what's on your mind without a care if people agree with you or not. Gwenda, you're the most beautiful and courageous woman I've ever known."

Gwenda blinked away the sudden tears that formed. She spoke under her breath, "I'm not that beautiful."

Calcifer rested on one knee and moved a hand to the nape of her neck. Gwenda brought her eyes to his, admiring the assurance she saw. "You are."

She thought of the day they met. While it took her some time to feel comfortable or safe, she remembered Calcifer's kindness and immediate trust in her. She was as much a stranger to him as he was to her, yet he was so willing to believe in her. He always believed in her more than she did.

She remembered the spark in his gaze, how he seemed to light up every time she entered a room and the nights she would fall asleep to the sound his voice and wake up to his morning smile. He was her protector.

Somehow, without warning, Gwenda had become attached to Calcifer. She found herself needing those midnight conversations more than sleep. The sound of his soothing voice was a lullaby to her and she became more and more interested in his stories each night. No one had shown so much delight in her own life like he did.

Their fight - the cruel accusation she made against him before Noe kidnapped her - stung like a lightning strike and stayed like electricity coursing through her body and reminding her of the pain she inflicted. She hated her words, hated her tone in which she spoke them. She hated the look on his face, but more than anything she hated that she broke his heart simply from her words.

Gwenda quivered her lips. "I stopped believing in love a long time ago." Her words were shaky, though she persisted. "Not just that - I stopped believing in people. All they do is make you love them and need them and once you've given them everything-" Gwenda paused. The rain sprinkled from the sky like falling stars. She lowered her head, her visage defeated. "They leave you."

"You reunited with your sister again." Calcifer whispered. "You fought alongside your friends and they stayed with you." He inhaled a heavy breath, exhaling slowly. "I know I left you, but I came back to show you that I will never let that happen again."

Gwenda shuddered at the memory. The last person she ever thought to do what she was most fearful of - she thought he was gone forever. Even though she knew he sacrificed himself to save them, Gwenda still felt heartbroken as she watched him run away from everyone he loved. A life without Calcifer was living with the thought of knowing something was missing, something you needed but could never reach and could never return to. A life without him was a life of misery.

He leaned closer to her. "Do you believe in love again?"

Gwenda tightened her grip on the cloak. "Calcifer…"

"I'm willing to take that risk." Calcifer said. "I want to spend my life making you happy. Whether that's as a friend or something more, I don't want to be anywhere you're not. But tell me to leave right now and I will."

Gwenda met his gaze, her watery eyes twinkling from the fire in his. "I meant what I said, too." Calcifer creased his eyebrows, confused by her words. Her voice was tremulous, though she spoke like she was walking on air. "As you ran out into the rain, I said that I can't lose you, too. I've lost you again and again and each time became worse than last. I need you in my life. I can't go through life without you by my side."

Calcifer tried to contain the smile he wore, but it opened wide over his face. "Do you think I would ever leave you again?"

His hand wrapped around her neck - his touch so magnifying, so fulfilling, like a rainstorm after a drought or the morning sun after a dark night. It was the feeling of knowing she was finally safe, finally free after living so long in fear and doubt. He was her safety; he made her free.

Gwenda raised her head. The chills rushing through her body were no longer present. "Never."

Before he registered her response, Gwenda was already a breath away from him. She gripped his straggly hair in a fist as he pulled her neck toward him, encompassing her lips with his own. Their actions felt so natural yet scandalous, though that only intensified the intimacy they felt for one another. Kissing him was like the feeling of falling into a dream and never wanting reality to return. This moment, this beautiful and joyous and magical moment made all the times she felt alone worth it just to feel this love.

 **Yesssss! I know there are some mixed feelings about this pairing, but it took me by storm when the thought first occurred in Thorns of a Rose. It was totally unexpected and I just had to run with it (there were a few endings for this but I felt like this one was the best in my opinion). I'd love to hear your reactions to this if you want to share because a couple of you expressed your thoughts on this earlier. And now we only have three more chapters left... time goes by so quickly. Our final storyline will be answered soon, and who knows what could happen. Thank you so much for your dedication through my fanfics and I'm so excited to have shared this with all of you!**


	37. Creature of Defiance

**Hello again fanfiction world! Chapter 37 is here and we're down to two more left. This has been such a long journey that has tested my writing abilties and I'm so excited to share this next one with you all. This is the final 'Creature' chapter (if you've been paying attention to my chapter titles) and I think it fits so well in this one. Anyway, it's been a while since I updated so I won't ramble on for too long. Here you go!**

There was a familiar emptiness inside. Where his heart used to be - where it should have been - simply became a hollow space of nothingness. Even as he lay on the ground unconscious, he could still feel the barren void that desired a lively, beating heart. It was a different feeling, however, than when he willingly handed his heart over to Calcifer - Suliman had more sinister motives than his fire demon.

"Howl!" Kenta tried breaking through his electric prison, though his bindings were comprised of more power than he was able to manipulate. Electricity was not under his jurisdiction, and Suliman was aware of that. Due to her extensive knowledge of magic and her former students, she was able to hold Kenta and Xarx as prisoners, command the mind of a doctor to keep Sophie captive, and distort the goodness in Howl's heart to complete a prolonged vengeance.

Sophie had the ability to disintegrate the binds. Her electrokinesis was already quite powerful, and she only had moments left before she no longer would be able to use magic. Her child would wield her abilities - or form its own - and any trace of magic would be stripped from her. Yet she was the only one who could free them.

"We're at ten centimeters. It's time." Sophie widened her eyes as she lifted her head to see the doctor. His indifferent look focused only on the task at hand, working step-by-step as a doctor would during childbirth. He had no understanding of anything other than the task Suliman assigned. His equipment was orderly, his process was organized and standard - yet he couldn't see beyond. He was a puppet on a string, fulfilling his duty to his superior.

She turned to everyone in the room, hoping for a miracle to come in and stop this moment. She wanted to hit pause and go back to their small cottage in the middle of a farm town; she wanted to go back to the flower shop where she knew Lettie was only a trolley ride away; she wanted to go back to the moment she met Howl.

She wanted to go to any moment except for the one she was in right now.

"You need to start pushing."

"No!" Sophie screamed through the pain, but she couldn't hold back any longer. This baby was coming whether she was ready or not.

"Sophie." She turned to Kenta, the distress in his eyes staring at her like daggers. He tried breaking free, but Suliman would not let him. "You have to. For your child's sake, you must."

She thought of every horrible possibility, all of them beginning with Suliman completing what she had started years ago. She held Howl's precious heart with the greediest of looks, the wickedest of hearts, and the most inhumane soul a person could have. She was prepared to steal his heart and their baby. She was prepared to rip away every beautiful thing in their lives without a second glance. Allowing herself to give birth meant they were out of time; it meant Suliman had succeeded.

But as hazy as the future was and knowing nothing of what was to come from this, Sophie knew one thing - she wanted to give her child every opportunity.

Starting with its first breath.

Suliman stared at the scene before her. Everything was going according to plan, her plan. She had calculated every moment, every event that led to this one in which she would receive the greatest power of all time. She was a fearsome sorceress, she knew, but now she would be nearly unstoppable. A powerful heart and a powerful child - they would reap all that they had sown, and she would be gifted for her patience and diligence to conceive such an intricate plan of demise.

Never had she felt so confident in what was to come - and then she came.

Two beady eyes appeared before her, staring directly at her, and in one quick motion Suliman stood stunned. She was placed under a mind conjuring spell, unable to move. No one in the room was able to use their magic except for whoever had recently joined them.

Suliman seethed as Howl's heart lifted from her hands, the obscure shadow hardly visible. Every aspect, every tiny little detail she had planned for and plotted against in order to secure her triumph. She had not expected an intruder. Someone deviated - that was the only possible way.

Suliman narrowed her eyes as Howl turned to lie on his back and his heart reunited with him. He took in a heavy breath, but remained comatose. As quickly as her prize was within reach, there it was just out of her grasp again. Countless times she could have taken it, though those would have been foolish. Waiting, preparing, and minimizing any and every divergence from the course she set - all to watch it be wasted.

Suliman clenched her teeth. "Why don't you stop being a coward and show yourself, whoever you are?"

A voice chuckled, but whoever had altered Suliman's grand scheme still had not shown themselves. "You want to see power, I'll show you power." The invisible witch appeared before them, and as Suliman attempted a strike against her, Martha had placed a barrier separating the room in half - Martha and Suliman stood on one side while the others were safe on the other. Without her control over them, Kenta and Xarx were free from her restraints.

Kenta immediately hurried to Sophie's side, holding her hand and speaking words of encouragement. Xarx knelt down to Howl. He slapped his cheeks and yelled to bring him back to consciousness, though his attempts were futile. Howl was alive, but his interior was fighting within himself.

Suliman sneered at the sight of Martha. "I will say, this is quite a surprise."

"That's what I was hoping for." Martha replied.

Suliman creased her eyebrows. "Apparently you're more skilled than I gave you credit for."

Martha held her hands forward, one crossed over the other, in preparation for an attack. "You have Annabel to thank for that."

Xarx watched their one-on-one from the other side of the barrier. Martha was quick to defend herself, but hesitant to make her own attacks. If their positions were switched and he was faced against Madame Suliman, he would not hesitate. He wanted her to reap the consequences of her actions and feel the pain from each soul she had twisted and ruined over the years. He would use every ounce of his strength to end her.

But he could not break the barrier. Martha's skill was strong, stronger than any from one who only discovered her abilities a few years earlier. She didn't want anyone getting in the way - she had chosen to face Suliman on her own.

"I'm right here, Sophie." Kenta whispered softly in her ear, hoping to ease her pain by letting her know a familiar face was there. "I'm right here for you."

She panted heavily, sweat building along her forehead and cheeks. "I need Howl. I need Howl."

Kenta looked over to Xarx, who continually tried waking Howl from dormancy. Suliman's effects could not be undone. While his heart still beat normally, there was a darkness inside, something outside of Howl's own. The source of her power and in the wickedness of her abilities, Suliman changed his heart with the evil intentions she used nearly her entire life.

On the other side, Martha struggled to hold her advantage over Suliman. Her surprise intrusion gave her an edge to begin with, but Suliman had decades of skill that prepared her for such moments. However, having studied defensive spells for the majority of her training, Martha was fairing quite well against a well-rounded, masterly magician such as the Royal Sorceress.

"You ignorant child," Suliman growled under her breath. "You thought you could defeat me? You've seen the future - you should have predicted that you or anyone who went up against me was no match."

Martha bit her lip. She knew that very well. She had seen battles against Suliman, all of them ending in disaster for anyone who dared to challenge her. She knew the risks that came with this. Despite that, nothing was more dire to her than keeping Sophie and her child away from someone as wicked as Madame Suliman.

"You're right." Martha said, her voice heavy from exhaustion. "I have seen the future. I knew I was weak against your abilities." Suliman narrowed her eyes and glanced around the room, but Martha kept her gaze focused on Suliman. "I also knew this child would grow up in a happy home, that Sophie and Howl would raise this baby to be a strong and loving magician. I have seen this child destroy you."

Suliman whipped her head back to Martha. She thrusted her arms forward, vines extending from her fingertips in Martha's direction. The witch crossed her arms over her face instinctively, using white light to disintegrate the vines as they approached her. The force was strong enough to push Martha back until she nearly hit her own barrier, though she pressed her magic against Suliman's with an aggression she had never used in her powers before.

Suliman pressed further with her attack. "Impossible. This child cannot be stronger than my own ability."

Martha slowed her breathing. Defense was not enough - not against Madame Suliman. For a woman who spent her years studying the world of magic to its core, mastering abilities outside of her source and climbing the ranks to be Royal Sorceress, Suliman was the predicted victor. And Martha - someone who did not know she was a Seer until a few years prior - believed she was in over her head facing her in battle.

Yet what she lacked in skill and experience, Martha gained in her drive to succeed.

She summoned her inner strength, relived the visions that pierced at her soul, and fueled her attack with every part of her being. She gathered the support of those who had perished, those who were still by her side, and those who desperately needed Martha's victory. She would not fail anyone else; she would not sit and wait for things to change.

Martha extended her arm forward and Suliman's attack came to an abrupt stop. Suliman wielded such anger in her eyes Martha was sure this was near her breaking point. "You are mistaken. If my own child could not inherit my skills, then this child is no different."

Martha chuckled. "You better believe it was true. I've seen many things, Suliman, most of them involving terrors from you." Suliman threw spell after spell in her direction, but Martha was quick to evade and diminish them. She spoke over her petty attacks, none of them causing the damage she was capable of. "I watched as you killed my sister; I watched as you forced Sophie into an arranged marriage; and I saw the deaths of every life you destroyed just so you could stay in power."

An innocent cry broke out into the room. Suliman turned to the newborn in the doctor's arms and the exhausted mother panting and sweating. Xarx looked up from aiding Howl, watching as Kenta had tears in his eyes. "It's a boy, Sophie."

Suliman's smile widened. This was her moment.

Martha shook her head. "I'm done watching." It was already too late when Suliman noticed her approach. The young witch cast a magnetic spell that connected them together and pushed them through the window. Suliman could not break away from her spell - they were drawn to one other as magnets were attracted to each other. Her powers, for the first time, were useless.

They fell from the height of the tower and though Suliman screamed against the thunderous downpour, her efforts were made in vain. "You horrible girl! I won't let a novice like you end me."

Martha took one final breath before they reached the ground. "You're finished."

 **A little short, but man did a lot happen. Sophie finally had her baby - and it's a boy! - Martha finally took action, and Suliman has been taken down. I think it's safe to say that Martha truly is a creature of defiance to go against what her powers would allow, knowing what she did about the future. We're still not done, yet! Howl has his heart back, but he knows it's not the same as it was before. And they're still in a burning building. AND we still don't know the fate of Suliman and Martha yet. But all is to come, the ending is near. Finals are coming up so I'm gonna do my best to update, but I can't promise too much anytime soon. Please be patient and I promise you will have your ending! Thank you!**


	38. Flameheart

**Winter break is finally here! Wow, I cannot tell you the level of stress I experienced last week for finals, I mean it was insane. I calculated the words I had to write for all my essays, and I believe it totaled roughly 8,000 words. Yeah, it was a long week. But now, I finally have the time to write for my sotry again and just in time for the holidays! I needed to pay extra attention to this chapter because of how detailed it is. It's strange to say there is only one chapter left, but stories do end and this one is no different. I know I say this a lot, but really thank you for sticking with this for so long. A year and a half is a long time, and it makes me so happy to have such dedicated readers who continue with a story even when the writer sucks at updating.**

From every corner of Kingsbury, people stared in awe at the pair falling from the height of the only tower left standing. It seemed so peaceful for a moment, like free falling, a final attempt to escape this life. Black and blonde hair swirled together, gravity pulling them to the ground. From every corner, people watched.

The rain slowed as they plummeted to the stone courtyard, and then it stopped altogether.

Magicians transported to the scene, many not daring to take a step closer to the victims. The humans appeared from the shadows, though there was no need for more bloodshed. The war had been fought and finally won. Among the dozens upon dozens of deceased magicians, the living focused on their former leader and the witch girl who hardly had a title as prestigious as Royal Sorceress.

"That's Martha." Lona whispered. She fell to the ground, her knees tightening from the quick drop. She hardly knew the girl, only that she had saved them before the battle began. She could have just been a random fatality, but part of Lona knew this girl. Part of her wished she had the time to know more. Maybe she wouldn't have felt torn between feeling grateful for her final act of bravery or sad for her sacrifice.

Beth, Mari, and Aria stood frozen, glued to the immobile Royal Sorceress. A breathless, lifeless mortal who couldn't escape death, her invincible facade shattered and rendered her as vulnerable as those she tormented. It was hard to believe what they saw, something that had been so unattainable before. Yet it was a certainty - Madame Suliman had finally fallen.

Markl and Heen pushed through the crowd in a hurry. It didn't matter whether they rushed by good magicians or Suliman's army. The worry that flooded his mind clouded any other thought, any other concern around him. Markl had tears in his eyes the moment he recognized the two women crashing to the ground at full speed. He didn't want what he knew to be true to actually be true.

"Move!" Markl's voice was high-pitched, something he had started to grow out of recently. He pushed himself to the end of the circle that surrounded the victims, everyone keeping a couple yards' distance away. Markl broke through the barrier to see it with his own eyes.

Heen whimpered softly. He recognized their scents.

On the other side, Markl saw Gwenda and they both rushed forward.

"Martha!" Gwenda fell to her knees and Calcifer stood behind her, keeping guard. Martha's eyes fluttered, but she resisted opening them. A red line trickled from her mouth down her cheek, dripping on the pavement like a broken pipe. Every bone in her body felt like shards of glass, scattered and fragmented. Every breath pierced her lungs, knowing she could not fill them fully. She could not ease the pain; Suliman's fate was a blessing compared to this.

"Aunt Martha?" She opened her eyes to the sweet sound. Aunt. Had he ever called her that before? It was a lullaby, a soothing cry to her soul. She wanted to extend what little time they had left, but even magic couldn't save her now.

She tilted her head up, suffering through the torturous movement, so she could look into his bright eyes. Martha managed the faintest of smiles. "Hey kid."

Gwenda removed her jacket and ripped the sleeves apart, trying to form tourniquets around her injuries. "It's fine. We're going to get you help. We're going to fix you."

Martha coughed red, a disturbing and pitiful sprinkle of blood dotting the air and staining the stone beneath her. Every breath, every cough, every movement - Martha lay on the ground, comforted by the lifeless body surrounded by magicians filled with hate. For some reason, she found an odd sense of contentment listening to Suliman's desperate cries for help. Maybe it was knowing that she was finally alone, finally vulnerable - finally overcome.

Martha blinked slowly, turning her eyes to the dark sky. "I saved my sister."

Gwenda sucked in a deep breath. She held Martha's shoulders, willing each breath to enter and exit her mouth. "Stop talking like you're dying."

Martha closed her eyes, leaving a gentle smile on her fragile lips. "I did something good this time."

Calcifer wrapped his arms around her as Gwenda tapped Martha's cheek, begging her to wake up. She repeatedly spoke the word "no" under her breath and between her tears. In a violent motion, Gwenda pressed herself against Calcifer and cried into his shoulder. More death, she thought. More death and fewer people left behind.

She rested against him, tears drowning down his coat, as she reverting to her weak and vulnerable state. Calcifer was her stronghold; without him, she would wither away and become frail. She would be as lonely as she was before, when isolation kept her from caring about others. It kept her from feeling empathy in situations like this. How could she ever go back now, after everything they've all been through?

Markl sat still, stunned, waiting for Martha to breathe again. He waited for her eyes to smile back at his. He was waiting for something that could never be. Part of him knew that, but the child inside of him still believed that with a little bit of magic, she would live.

He held Heen under his arm. The petite dog squirmed to break free from his hold. He wanted to lie next to Martha; he wanted to lick her face and feel her fingernails scratching down his back and embrace her warmth. She looked cold now. His whimpers were low and struck Markl like tiny knives, but eventually Heen embraced the boy wizard, accepting his comfort and need to be comforted.

Calcifer turned to those surrounding them, witnessing their mourn. There were a few of Suliman's soldiers present, most of them in awe of their leader's untimely death. He could hear their panicked whispers, unsure of what lay in the future. They were nothing without her.

They departed, one by one, into the sky or vanished into thin air. Those who remained were torn between the sense of a hopeful future and the tragedy that occurred in order to secure that hope. All that was certain laid before them - a fallen sorceress, a brave witch, and a crumbling Palace minutes from nonexistence.

Calcifer helped Gwenda stand and hold her balance. He wiped away the tears that lingered on her cheek. "We should go find the others."

Gwenda nodded and her eyes landed on the many faces she recognized in the crowd. Her sister with her empathetic visage, uncertainty written on her face; her friends with their relief and devastation combined and mixed and muddled in their eyes; Markl, a child who had seen death and destruction his entire life, still experiencing far too much for a child's tenderness; and then Suliman.

She swallowed hard, almost in disbelief. Years of memories rushed back to her, reminding her of the menacing acts she witnessed under Suliman's rule. She was no Queen, nor did she wear a crown that symbolized her rule, but she was as sadistic and callous as any of the members of the Royal Family.

Gwenda stepped in her direction, expecting to see her cheat death as well, but she remained paralyzed. Her anger boiled inside and exerted in physical and verbal force against the deceased sorceress. "You horrible, worthless, selfish, wicked-" Gwenda kicked and screamed slandering terms, each kick and each term worse than the last. Suliman, defenseless and feeble, willingly accepted the blows.

Markl and Heen stepped away, letting her anger continue, but Calcifer moved in to restrain her. Lona walked toward them from the crowd, immediately embracing her sister with a tight grip. She whispered calming words that only made Gwenda cry more. Even with Suliman gone, this battle for power would never cease.

"Markl." The boy looked to Calcifer, his eyes drained and exhausted. "Have you seen Howl, Sophie, or Kenta?"

Markl shook his head. "No." Calcifer nodded. As he prepared to direct others in their next move, Markl interrupted. "Who are you?"

Calcifer looked down to the boy who stared at him with confusion. He couldn't help but smile. "Come on, kid."

(—)

The room was chaotic with fear and flames creeping around every corner. With the disappearance of Suliman and her brainwashed doctor, vanishing when she no longer controlled him, danger should have left with them. However, they were left to find their own escape from the aftermath of the crumbling Palace - and fast.

It happened so suddenly Kenta had little time to react. Martha and Suliman fell out the window, though her barrier kept them from following or keeping Martha safe from the aftermath. One second everyone stared at the beauty of a new life, and the next they plummeted from the height of the tower. He was in such complete awe he didn't realize what had happened until the doctor sprung loose.

He swung the door open on his way out, where the flames had begun flooding upward. Kenta cast a spell that removed water from the air and flushed it over the oncoming flames, though that did little against the destructive blaze that consumed their exit. The tower was unstable, rocking everything and everyone inside back and forth. Eventually, it would fall to the ground and turn to ash, same as rest of the Palace. They needed an escape soon.

The sound of innocent cries drew Kenta back to his friends. A newborn boy tucked into Sophie's gentle grasp, she stared at her baby with such love only a mother could recognize. As much as she tried, however, she could not mask her anxiety of their situation and panic of Howl's state of mind.

"Wake up, Howl." Xarx shook his shoulders until Howl squinted, as if the sun's rays were shining directly into his eyesight. His exhales came out in short bursts, like each one was a strain on his being. He raised his hand and pressed it over his heart, feeling each bountiful beat pulsing through his chest. They punched his ribs with no mercy, and his mind combatted against the evil he now felt coursing through his bloodstream. After what he experienced, there was bound to be some damage to recover from.

Xarx held Howl's hand and brought him to his feet. Without his steady grip, Howl would have fallen on his trembling legs. He scanned the room aimlessly, like a drunk going in and out of consciousness. All was a blur - after Suliman separated his heart from his being, nothing felt the same. He felt cold and empty, living a barren reality, and with nothing to live for. Part of him wanted to give up and release his soul away from mortal existence. Then his heart returned.

His body felt whole again, the missing piece fulfilling the hollowness, yet he remained torn. Familiar envious emotions devoured the purity in his heart and scattered through his body, distorting his thoughts and filling his mind with greed and recklessness. He remembered that part of himself - that was his reason for granting Calcifer control of it for so long.

He didn't want to demonize his heart.

With evil intentions now attached to his morality, how would he discern between right and wrong?

"…can you hear what I'm saying?" Howl turned to Xarx. His recognition was hazy, but Howl remembered his face. A younger, more impotent face at first, then this matured one wearing a mask. He was a master of deceit, able to convince anyone that he was on their side. His survival instincts rewarded him well - but not this time.

Howl grabbed Xarx by the throat and pushed him against the wall, moving the entire tower in that direction. Sophie's bed slid across the floor toward them until Kenta bolted to keep them steady. Her baby's cries grew louder and louder over Xarx's struggles, so she embraced him closer. She dared not watch Howl react so viciously with their child so young, so unscarred.

"Howl!" Kenta grabbed his arms to remove them, but Howl only elbowed him in the jaw to keep him back. Xarx was immobile and exposed to Howl's actions.

"You think I don't know who you are?" Howl whispered with a growling undertone. "Working for Suliman, claiming to be on our side - I don't believe you. I think this is all a ploy for you to lead us to our death."

"Howl." Xarx struggled against his hand exerting more pressure over his throat. "She changed you."

"And she didn't change _you_?" He leaned in closer, the flames lighting his eyes from the top of the stairwell. "You worked for her long enough. Why should we trust you so easily?"

Kenta wrapped his arm around Howl's neck and pulled him away from Xarx, knocking him back to the ground. Xarx inhaled a deep breath, quickly restraining Howl. Both he and Kenta held his arms down.

"You need to pull it together." Kenta said. "You are not yourself. You need find your true self, the part of you Suliman has been trying to erase for years."

"He's a criminal!" Howl shouted. "And so are you!" He thrashed under their grip with a violent force. It was difficult for Kenta to watch his most respected comrade fall prey to an evil such as Madame Suliman, though it would not be the first time she influenced either of them this way. He glanced to Sophie, mortified by the scene, Howl's breaking point bringing her to her very own.

"I may have a spell." Xarx said, peaking Kenta's interest. "She placed darkness in his heart, and if I replace it with light I may be able to remove it."

"He's a creature of darkness." Kenta said, looking into the void of Howl's eyes. "He feeds off of it. I'd be doubtful if all the light in the world could reverse what Suliman did."

Xarx shook his head. "It wouldn't hurt to try." He locked Howl's hands to the floor and immediately knelt in front of him. He closed his eyes and held his hands crossed over his chest, attempting to visualize his interior. Like the moon in a sea of darkness or a single battleship flying through the sky, it was not difficult to locate his heart or see the extremities done to it. Blackness engulfed most of the outer surface, almost consuming it wholly. Reverting the effects would mean challenging this wickedness with goodness, a goodness only Howl would abandon egocentricism and greed for.

"Howl, listen to my voice." Xarx spoke low and calmly. A faint light emitted from his fingertips and pursued into his heart. "Sophie is here with us. She is watching your actions and she is afraid. Not only that, but your son is watching you, too."

Howl clenched his teeth together as he held his eyes shut, closing them as tightly as he could. Kenta moved his gaze around the room, watching Sophie sit frightened of her love, Xarx remind Howl of his inner righteousness, and Howl fight once more to release the darkness that continued to plague him.

"You're a father now." Xarx said, his tone fierce with intention. "You're a father to that beautiful boy crying in her arms. We will not let you give up. Not right here, not right now, not ever." The light poured into his heart like rain nourishing a flower. Howl's breathing slowed and he relaxed his muscles. When Xarx felt comfortable removing his hands, the light vanished from his fingertips and the spell ceased. In a moment, in a single moment of waiting and worrying and time pressuring them, all that remained undone was Howl.

In a moment, they needed a change of heart.

While Xarx removed his constraints, a whirlwind formed around Kenta as he transformed into his gryphon form. Whether Howl was ready or not, they needed to leave before the tower collapsed with them still in it.

Xarx stood and extended his hand to Sophie, though she hesitated. He lowered his gaze. "We don't know if he'll return to the way he was before."

Sophie bit her lip, looking into the eyes of her newborn baby. They were as blue as Howl's, and just as loving. This child was theirs, a creation of their love. He would know what love is, even if Howl was unable to show it to her ever again.

"Sophie." She held her breath as he whispered her name, now sitting up at the edge of the bed. Once bearing the eyes of hatred, now Howl only gazed upon her with concern and inner disappointment, like he had failed her time and time again. He stood on shaky legs - under the careful watch of Xarx - and stepped around to her bedside. Sophie held the newborn close to her chest, where Howl could see his face. She had never seen such devoted compassion in his eyes than in that moment.

He looked at her, his smile lighting up the room. "We're parents now."

Sophie nodded with tears."We're parents."

Xarx touched their shoulders. "And we need to leave."

As they boarded Sophie and the baby onto Kenta's back, he flew everyone through the open window, leaving the remains of the Kingsbury Palace behind them for good.

 **It's hard to say goodbye to characters, and this one was tough. I hadn't expected Martha to die, but sadly it just seemed right for her character. She wanted to make change and with her ability, she never could. Suliman was also a hard one, too. I never saw her as a character that would needed to die, but the plot just derailed from what I thought and completely changed on me (ever have that happen to you?) I don't know, I might be looking too much into this. Anyway, there is still one final chapter I have left to hopefully wrap everything as best as I can and that will be the end...**


	39. Because This Must Be

**And here we are... the final chapter! I know I haven't been the best at updates, but I finally finished writing and editing today. I think I was a little nervous to end this story since the plotline and characters have been so a part of my life for over two years now. After this, I have decided to take a break from fanfiction and write my own original story, so we shall see how that turns out later this year (I hope). Anyway, on another note, here you go! The final chapter!**

The hills along the Wastes were quiet, save for the subtle howling of the wind passing through. They were alone - a small band of five, one too small to walk on his own and another too weak. They were alone, but at least they were alive.

Since the Palace collapsed, they had been wandering through the Wastes, walking only when the wizards were too fatigued to complete a transporting spell. However, it occurred to them once the capital city became only a skyline that any home they previously had no longer existed. There was no castle to return to, no shop in Market Chipping - and before they settled again, reuniting with their friends was their first task.

Sophie lay in Howl's arms, resting during the entire journey. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. The way she lay her head against his shoulder sleeping so peacefully and how she smiled while dreaming was a beautiful sight. He couldn't remember the last time he saw her smile like that, like the world was finally set right again and there was nothing left to fear. She looked relieved of her fears.

"Uh, Howl." Kenta held their newborn, Xarx next to them. The baby squirmed in the blanket, his toothless mouth crying for attention - and Kenta went blank. "How do I… what does he want?"

Sophie stirred at the sound of his cries, darting her eyes in every direction until she focused on the little boy. "Let me see him."

Howl held her closer. "No, you're too tired. You need rest."

Sophie fluttered her eyes like butterfly wings. "He might be hungry."

With that thought, he gently set her on her feet and Kenta placed the infant in her arms. They walked a fair distance away to give them some privacy. Between the morning sun and fog, the wizards found blacken smoke still seeping into the sky. Kingsbury, more so all of Ingary, would face immense changes following the previous night's events. The royal city was in a state of distress, almost entirely vacant now. The hierarchy was broken.

"I wonder how Justin and Rolland felt when they saw this." Kenta said.

Howl nodded. "That's if they're even still alive to see it."

"You think they survived?"

"Anything is possible with those two." Howl shuddered as Xarx tapped his shoulder and immediately turned to him. The man had been quiet since their departure, and merely pointed toward a crowd far off from them, but still approaching them.

Kenta sucked in a heavy breath. "Do you think they're on our side or Suliman's?"

Howl drooped his eyes. He was so tired. Carrying Sophie, moving from place to place so they wouldn't be caught in the middle of the night, and with a newborn child whose only defense was his vulnerable parents - all of these gave Howl reasons for their eventual downfall. After everything they had accomplished, everything and everyone they lost along the way, he couldn't push himself to fight another battle.

He walked back to Sophie, hoping to stay with her should anything happen, but he perked up his ears at the sound of his name. The voice was young and playful and familiar, and the sigh of relief that spread across their small group made tomorrow look much brighter than before.

"Master Howl!" Markl and Heen rushed toward the couple and embraced them fully. The tiny dog wheezed with excitement and curiosity at the newest addition, yet Sophie couldn't contain her wide smile as their friends and comrades sprinted toward them. Lona rushed into Kenta's arms and he held on like he never thought of letting go. Their loving whispers were too quiet for anyone else to hear, but the tears in their eyes were those of joy and final peace.

Gwenda took careful steps toward them, the rest of the magicians and humans behind her all looking dim. Howl held their child as Gwenda knelt down next to them, embracing her like the others.

Sophie bit her lip. "I thought I'd never see you again."

Gwenda breathed a laugh through the tears. "I was afraid of the same thing." She tightened her grip on Sophie, hoping to make the moment last just a little bit longer. However, all the hugs in the world couldn't prepare Sophie for what was to come.

A man with hair like fire knelt beside them, a young woman in his arms. Gwenda released Sophie and held the baby, as she knew Sophie had more pressing matters to attend to. Gwenda kept her gaze away from the pain she knew Sophie felt in that moment, forcing her focus onto the new life in her arms.

Sophie was stunned. "Ma-Martha?" The lifeless girl lay on the ground like a body in a coffin. Her face was filthy and dirty, but had been clean of the blood for Sophie's sake. She wanted to doubt what she saw, pretend that her sisters were alive and well and thriving. This fate, their early end, was not how things should have happened.

Sophie, the only surviving sister of the Hatter family, wept.

"No, no." She wrapped her arms around Martha, hoping to feel a heartbeat or a breath - but nothing came. Nothing came. "Not you, too."

The crowd stood around, bowing their heads or comforting others. Though few knew of the Hatter sisters and their bravery in the events leading to this moment, Sophie knew. She knew and she wept for all the things they would never have together, the memories they could never share with each other again. She wept knowing her sisters gave their lives to save hers.

A few others carried a second body, that of the Witch of the Wastes, and laid her beside Martha. Howl and Kenta sucked in a quick breath, completely still with shock. Her calm figure contrasted everything they knew about her. She was strong; she was arrogant and self-centered at times, but even then she carried a heavy heart filled with love and devotion. Her death was a symbol of that to them.

Howl bowed his head in respect, but Kenta could not. As Lona held on to him tighter, he could only think of how he had never forgiven her for what she had done to his love - and how he would never be able to.

Sophie held her sister securely, hardly paying attention to the man resting a hand on her shoulder. "She saved us all. Suliman is no longer a threat to you or anyone."

She looked up with red, glistening eyes, at the man with fiery hair. All eyes turned to him, some in agreement and others in confusion. He nodded in reassurance of Suliman's demise and of Sophie's newfound peace in knowing that.

Sophie gazed back and forth between him and her sister. "You mean… but I thought-"

"She made the change that she wanted to see happen." Gwenda smiled through the tears, hoping to feel that Martha's sacrifice was not in vain. Knowing that her death meant Suliman's as well was the greatest demonstration of love she had ever seen - she spared Sophie's child from having to face the evil that was Madame Suliman.

Sophie stared her sister, her memories flooding in like a hurricane. All the times they fought, the times they shared secrets or played in the yard or showed how much they loved each other - Sophie would carry those with her. Martha and Lettie, her sisters who risked their lives to protect Sophie, would always be remembered.

Sophie wiped her eyes clean, then turned to the man. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I know your name."

He smiled and reached his hand to rest on Gwenda's shoulder. "Come on, Sophie. I thought you'd never seen a fire with more spark."

She stared in awe and amazement and disbelief. Her lips trembled as Gwenda nodded in reassurance, and Sophie cupped her lips as he knelt down next to the women. The fire demon she assumed to have perished like the rest was standing before her the way he had always dreamt, and for the first time they held each other, arms wrapped around in a warm embrace.

They buried the two witches next to one another and prepared for a brief memorial. Howl spoke proudly of the two women he knew, expressing his respect for their strength and sacrifice. While at times he felt betrayed and wronged by them, that didn't matter anymore. They didn't deserve the fate they were given, yet their choices led them this way. All of their choices led them to where they all stood. In the end, Martha and the Witch both made the ultimate decision, not knowing what the effects leading would be.

Far off from the hills of the Wastes, the capital Kingsbury bustled with people filled with fear and anxiety. Everyone walked to the edge of the hill, watching the aftermath ensue. Those who had been fortunate in life now faced the misfortune of a crumbling kingdom and a shattered ruling system. All of Kingsbury would feel the damages at some point or another, once the country realized what had become of the Royal Family.

Gwenda spoke low. "King Rolland is dead."

Sophie held her child close to her, though her eyes scanned the aftermath. "And Justin?"

"He ran off. I let Johanna go. She never wanted the life of queen, and now she's free of it."

Howl narrowed his eyes. "I wonder where he is."

"Who knows?" Kenta scoffed. "Probably basking in the glory that he'll be king now."

"How can you be a king without a kingdom?" The baby squirmed in Sophie's grip and she dropped her gaze to him. He rubbed his eyes with tiny fists and showed toothless gums to everyone who was close enough. For someone so small and fragile, he brought smiles to those who believed happiness was lost. He brought joy and excitement - and to others, he secured the hope of a bright future.

Calcifer and Howl stood close behind her, their eyes sparkling at the little life in her arms. His eyes were lighter than the sky, two oceans of blue glistening as he caught his father's stare. Calcifer pressed a firm grip on his shoulder as Howl wiped one eye clean, still somewhat in disbelief of the wonder he and Sophie gave life to. His responsibilities were clearer than ever now - family over everything. No more missions, no more secrets, no more risks.

Sophie turned around, her arms moving up and down slowly to rock the baby. "I remember you saying once how you wished to hold the baby."

Calcifer blinked. "Me?"

She nodded. With careful precautions, Sophie transferred the little boy to Calcifer's stiff arms. His teeth chattered in the warmth of the sun and he was unable to move a muscle. Having only been human for less than a day, he thought of all the possible outcomes that may arise if he couldn't control his muscle movement quite yet. Being still was the only safe way.

A gentle hand appeared on his arm and squeezed softly, her other hand tickling the baby's bare chest. Calcifer's cheeks reddened as Gwenda made childish noises for the baby's entertainment, her spirit so lively and free. She made him feel more comfortable in his new form, like he had been this way his entire life.

"He's so adorable." Gwenda said. "And he looks just like Howl."

Sophie chuckled. "Wonderful. Hopefully he won't inherit his self-admiration."

Howl rolled his eyes as the women laughed. A few feet from the main crowd, Markl and Heen sat next to Xarx. Heen wagged his tail as Xarx gestured with his arms, creating a spell only a light source could. Markl stared in awe at the creation, never wanting to remove his eyes from the sight. Xarx showed him the motions again, adjusting Markl when needed, until the little boy wizard was able to create a novice version of Xarx's. Like Howl had many times, Xarx smiled at the boy's accomplishment - the way a teacher would at their student's success.

"Howl." He whipped his head back to Sophie. She was distressed. "He won't stop crying." Calcifer had returned the baby to his mother, who frantically rocked him back and forth in an attempt to soothe her son. His wails were as piercing as the moment he was born, although she was oblivious to what he might desire.

She gritted her teeth. "I-I just fed him and he slept through the night and I just don't know what to do, Howl, I don't-"

"Sophie." Howl rubbed her arms with a tender touch. She widened her eyes, the fear of parenthood evident in her gaze. Howl, though very much frightened of taking care of a child, smiled at his love. "Just breathe. We'll figure it out."

Sophie closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded abruptly. She knew. She knew things would turn out all right.

"This might be a bad time," Calcifer said over the baby's persistent cries, "but have you picked out a name for him yet?"

Sophie and Howl glanced at one another. Neither had truly considered what to name their child. It was, in all honesty, the last thing on their mind during the pregnancy - rampant witches and wizards and kidnapped friends were top priority at that time. They hadn't even known the gender before birth.

Sophie turned to her sister's grave. As children, Lettie and Martha shared possible selections for baby names, something Sophie never felt comfortable doing unless she was in preparation to have a child. Martha had dozens of choices, but the one Sophie remembered was one Martha loved for either a boy or a girl.

After whispering to Howl and an approving nod, they were sure. Sophie looked to their friends and family, all eager to hear her say, "Morgan."

 **Ah, Morgan! I went with the original novel series' name for their baby. It only seemed fitting. I cannot thank you all enough for this which is why I keep saying it so many times, but it really means a lot to have dedicated readers.** **I'm thankful for everyone who has read, reviewed, or shared my fanfic. I hope this has also encouraged some of you to write your own because I can promise that writing fanfiction will make you a better writer (writing anything will do that too, but this helps). From my first fanfic to this one, I have seen major progress in my style and writing techniques and will carry those with me in future novels. This has been one of my favorites to write and I am grateful to have pushed myself in this story. There is also something else I wanted to include in my A/N:**

 **Some of my chapter names are titled after songs, some of which inspired what happened during the chapter. Here are a few songs and their artists and I encourage you to listen to them (most are in A Heart in Flames and from the group Two Steps from Hell):**

 **o Sun and Moon (Chapter 13 of TR) – Two Steps from Hell**

 **o Last Hope (Chapter 14 of TR) – Two Steps from Hell (song is really Our Last Hope)**

 **o The End is a New Beginning (Chapter 6 of AHiF) – Two Steps from Hell (song is really The End is the Beginning)**

 **o Mirage (Chapter 26 AHiF) – Lindsey Stirling**

 **o The Unlikeliest of Heroes (Chapter 27 of AHiF) – Immediate**

 **o Brave Enough (Chapter 28 AHiF) – Lindsey Stirling**

 **o The Arena (Chapter 31 AHiF) – Lindsey Stirling**

 **o Surrender to Hope (Chapter 32 AHiF) – Immediate**

 **o Fateful Night (Chapter 33 AHiF) – Two Steps from Hell**

 **o Standing the Storm (34 AHiF) – William Joseph**

 **o Rise (Chapter 35 AHiF) – John Dreamer**

 **o Heart of Courage (Chapter 36 AHiF) – Two Steps from Hell**

 **o Flameheart (Chapter 38 AHiF) – Two Steps from Hell**

 **o** **Because This Must Be (Chapter 39 AHiF) – Nils Frahm**


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